Road Photos & Information: New South Wales

Lane Cove Tunnel, Hills Motorway, Old Windsor Road, Windsor Road & Bridge Street (Metroad 2) - Windsor to Kellyville

Statistics:

• Length: 46 km (Windsor to Kellyville: 18 km)
• Eastern Terminus: Pacific Highway (Metroad 1), Gore Hill Freeway (Metroad 1) and Longueville Road, Lane Cove
• Western Terminus: Bridge Street and Macquarie Street, Windsor
• Suburbs, Towns & Localities along route: Kellyville, Beaumont Hills, Rouse Hill, Box Hill, Riverstone, Vineyard, McGraths Hills, Mulgrave and Windsor.

Route Numbering:

• Current:
• Multiplexed with:
• Forthcoming Alphanumeric:
• Road Authority Internal Classification: MR635 (Old Windsor Road) / MR184 (Windsor Road) 1

General Information:

Metroad 2 is a major route located in the Sydney area, linking the northwestern suburbs with Sydney's inner suburbs, and eventually via, several other routes to the central business district.

The standard of the route varies from multi-laned arterial road through to freeway standard (covered by the 21 km long Hills Mwy) 1. It passes through inner city suburbs, residential areas, light industrial areas and semi-rural areas.

The Hills Motorway segment of Metroad 2 was funded and built by the private sector which will operate, maintain and repair the motorway until 2042, when it will revert to the ownership of the NSW government. The Hills Motorway consists of a four-lane expressway plus a two-lane busway (between the east-bound and west-bound carriageways) from Beecroft Road to Old Windsor Road, breakdown lanes and cyclist lanes. 1

The route has gone through a number of signficant changes since it was introduced, along with Sydney's other Metroads back in the early 1990s. Several changes to routing have occured, massive upgrades between Seven Hills and Windsor and more. Details of the changes are covered in the history section below.

Metroad 2 features the following multiplexes:

• M7 from Abbott Road / Old Windsor Road interchange to Pennant Hills Road (Cumberland Highway) interchange at West Pennant Hills
• State Route 40 from Bridge Street Windsor to Windsor Road at Kellyville.

The introduction of M7 is the first official public display of alphanumeric route numbering in New South Wales, however there has been several instances of incorrectly uncovered alphanumeric shields across the state.

History:

The Roads and Traffic Authority's Heritage Register features a detailed history on the route, and can be found here.

• M7 from Abbott Road / Old Windsor Road interchange to Pennant Hills Road (Cumberland Highway) interchange at West Pennant Hills
• State Route 40 from Bridge Street Windsor to Windsor Road at Kellyville.

The introduction of M7 is the first official public display of alphanumeric route numbering in New South Wales, however there has been several instances of incorrectly uncovered alphanumeric shields across the state.

History:

The Roads and Traffic Authority's Heritage Register features a detailed history on the route, and can be found here.

• 1792 onwards: Construction of what is now named Windsor Road and Old Windsor Road. 1
• 1794: A road was established between the Green Hills / Hawkesbury area and the older settlement at Parramatta. 1
• 1797: Governor Hunter ordered landholders to undertake road improvements along the Hawkesbury Road, including widening the road to 20 feet. (This is the date for the creation of the Windsor Road as a carriageway). 1
• 1802: A bridge was constructed at a new South Creek crossing of the Windsor Road, financed by tolls, and replacing the previous punt crossing further east. The current road alignment at South Creek dates from this time. The earlier road alignment, leading to the punt crossing, is reflected in the alignment of the present day Hawkesbury Road. 1
• 1805: Surveyor James Meehan surveyed an alignment between Parramatta and Kellyville which became the basis for the (New) Windsor Road in 1813. 1
• 1810: Governor Macquarie established five towns along the Hawkesbury River: Windsor, Richmond, Pitt Town, Wilberforce, and Castlereagh. 1
• 1810s: Governor Macquarie introduced a toll system on the Windsor Road with toll gates north of Parramatta and south of Rouse Hill. 1
• 1816: Construction of a toll house at Rouse Hill. 1
• 11 September 1833: Windsor Road was proclaimed as a Main Road and gazetted, with Old Windsor Road being declared a Parish Road. 1
• 1835 A toll house, the second on the site, was constructed at the South Creek crossing near Windsor. 1
• 1849: The Windsor Road Trust was formed to oversee maintenance of the Windsor Road. 1
• 1853: Fitzroy Bridge constructed across South Creek at Windsor, replacing the earlier Howe's Bridge. 1
• 1924: The Department of Public Works used water-based macadam in reconstructing the Windsor Road near Rouse Hill. Water-based macadam was an improved road surface treatment necessitated by the rapid rise of the motor vehicle. 1
• 1926: A bitumen coating was laid completed on Windsor Road near Rouse Hill, and renewed in 1928-9. 1
• 22 May 1928: Windsor Road, together with Bells Line of Road and the Darling Causeway was announced as Main Road 184. 1
• 1940s: Cutting and filling of the Old Windsor and Windsor Roads was reportedly undertaken by the United States military to prepare evacuation routes should a Japanese invasion take place in Sydney. 1
• 1948: Shoulders of the Windsor Road were widened to 22 feet to provide for anticipated traffic. 1
• June 2002: Upgrade to four lanes from Henry Road to Curtis Road, Vineyard completed. 1
• August 2003: Upgrade to four lanes from Merriville Road to Schofields Road, Rouse Hill completed. 1
• April 2004: Upgrade to four lanes from Schofields Road to Mile End Road, Rouse Hill completed, and also the upgrade to four lanes from Level Crossing Road to Henry Road, Vineyard completed, plus the upgrade to four lanes from Curtis Road, Vineyard to Pitt Town Road, McGraths Hill completed. 1
• September 2006: Upgrade to four lanes from Boundary Road to Level Crossing Road, Vineyard completed. 1
• December 2006: Upgrade to four lanes opened to traffic from Mile End Road, Rouse Hill to Boundary Road, Box Hill. 1

Windsor to Kellyville			Kellyville to Windsor
Preview:	Description:		Preview:	Description:
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Bridge St in Windsor approaching Macquarie St (Metroad 9) and Windsor Rd (Metroad 2), April 2011. Click here for a photo of the old sign from May 2004. Image © Michael Mak			Distance Sign: RD sign on Windsor Road at Riverstone. July 2007. Image © Paul Mech
	Intersection Diectional Sign: ID sign facing Macquarie St (Metroad 9) in Windsor, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Riverstone approaching Boundary Rd, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the corner of Windsor Rd (Metroad 2) and Court St in Windsor, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak			Boundary Road: Corner of Windsor Rd (Metroad 2) and Boundary Rd in Riverstone, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Start Metroad 2 Sign: Travelling southeast at Windsor on Windsor Road just after the Fitzroy Bridge over South Creek. April 2011. Image © Michael Mak			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Windsor Rd in Vineyard approaching Chapman Rd and Bandon Rd, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Distance Sign: RD sign as you leave Windsor, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak			Bandon Road & Chapman Road: Intersection directional sign at the junction with Bandon Rd and Chapman Rd in Vineyard, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Advance Directional Sign: Travelling southeast approaching the intersection with Pitt Town Road (former TD15) at McGraths Hill, April 2011. Click here for a photo from October 2005 of the old sign. Image © Michael Mak			Bandon Road & Chapman Road: Intersection directional sign at the junction with Bandon Rd and Chapman Rd in Vineyard, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Pitt Town Road Intersection: The intersection with Pitt Town Road (former TD15) at McGraths Hill, April 2011. Click here for a photo from October 2005 of the old sign. Image © Michael Mak			Chapman Road: Intersection directional sign facing Chapman Rd in Vineyard, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Pitt Town Rd at McGraths Hill approaching Windsor Rd (Metroad 2), April 2011. Image © Michael Mak			Chapman Road: Intersection directional sign facing Chapman Rd in Vineyard, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign facing Pitt Town Rd at McGraths Hill at the junction with Windsor Rd (Metroad 2), April 2011. Image © Michael Mak			Caption Title: Caption, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign facing Pitt Town Rd at McGraths Hill at the junction with Windsor Rd (Metroad 2), April 2011 Image © Michael Mak			Groves Avenue: Corner of Windsor Rd (Metroad 2) and Groves Av in McGraths Hill, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Sign Error: Intersection directional sign on Metroad 2 showing State Route 184, which is likely to have been confused with Main Road 184, Windsor Road's internal RTA classification. Located on the corner of Windsor Road and Curtis Road Mulgrave. May 2004. Image © Paul Rands			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Vineyard on Groves Av approaching Windsor Rd (Metroad 2), April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the junction with Mulgrave Rd in McGraths Hill, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak			Intersection Directional Signs: ID signs at Vineyard facing Groves Av at the junction with Windsor Rd (Metroad 2), April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Distance Sign: RD sign at McGraths Hill after the Mulgrave Rd junction, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign for the intersection with Pitt Town Rd at Mulgrave, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Flood Evacuation Route: SIgn indicating the flood evacuation route. Windsor Rd (Metroad 2) near Groves Av at McGraths Hill, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak			Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the junction with Mulgrave Rd in Mulgrave, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Vineyard approaching the Groves Avenue intersection, April 2011. Click here for a photo of the previous sign approaching this junction from October 2006. Image © Paul Rands			Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign facing Mulgrave Rd in Mulgrave, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Groves Avenue: Corner of Windsor Rd (Metroad 2) and Groves Av in McGraths Hill, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak			Pitt Town Road Intersection: The intersection with Pitt Town Rd at Mulgrave, April 2011 Image © Michael Mak
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Windsor Rd in Vineyard approaching Chapman Rd and Bandon Rd, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak			Entering Windsor: Windsor Rd (Metroad 2) as it enters the town of Windsor, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Bandon Road & Chapman Road: Intersection directional sign at the junction with Bandon Rd and Chapman Rd in Vineyard, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Windsor Rd (Metroad 2) approaching Macquarie St (Metroad 9) and Bridge St in Windsor, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Chapman Road: Intersection directional sign facing Chapman Rd in Vineyard, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak			Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign on Windsor Rd (Metroad 2) approaching Macquarie St (Metroad 9) and Bridge St in Windsor, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Chapman Road: Intersection directional sign facing Chapman Rd in Vineyard, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak			End Metroad 2: Intersection directional sign for Macquarie St (Metroad 9), which is the terminus of Metroad 2, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Vineyard approaching Boundary Rd, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Boundary Road: Corner of Windsor Rd (Metroad 2) and Boundary Rd in Vineyard, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign facing Boundary Rd at Vineyard, April 2011. Image © Michael Mak
	Windsor Road & Old Windsor Road: Windsor Rd (Metroad 2) at the junction with Windsor Rd (SR40). Metroad 2 continues straight ahead at this junction along Old Windsor Rd, October 2005. Image © Paul Rands
Click here for the continuation of Metroad 2 between Kellyville and Artarmon

1 Roads and Traffic Authority

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