Road Photos & Information: Victoria

Western Freeway & Western Highway (National Highway A8)

Statistics:

• Length: 420 km
• Eastern Terminus: Western Ring Road (NH-M80) at Sunshine West
• Western Terminus: Vic-SA Border
• Miscellaneous: Continues as NH-A8 (Dukes Highway) into South Australia at Serviceton
• Suburbs, Towns & Localities along route: Serviceton, Lillimur, Kaniva, Nhill, Salisbury, Kiata, Gerang Gerung, Dimboola, Wail, Pimpinio, Dahlen, Horsham, Green Lake , Dadswells Bridge, Deep Lead, Stawell, Great Western, Ararat, Buangor, Beaufort, Trawalla, Burrumbeet, Ballarat (Mitchell Park, Miners Rest, Mount Rowan, Wendouree, Invermay, Invermay Park, Ballarat North, Nerrina, Brown Hill, Warrenheip & Leigh Creek), Bugaree, Wallace, Gordon, Ballan, Myrniong, Bacchus Marsh (Pentland Hills, Darley, Merrimu & Hopetoun Park), Melton West, Melton, Melton South, Rockbank, Caroline Springs and Deer Park

Route Numbering:

• Current:
• Former:
• Multiplexed With:
• Road Authority Internal Classification: 1520 (Western Freeway) & 6520 (Western Highway) 1

General Information:

The Western Highway is the principal road link between Melbourne and Adelaide. The carries substantial interstate and interregional freight and tourist traffic. The traffic volume between Ballarat and Ararat is around 6000 vehicles per day, with 25 per cent being commercial vehicles. Between Ararat and Stawell the traffic volume is around 6500 vehicles per day, with approximately 20 per cent being commercial vehicles. 2 As such it falls under Auslink funding from the Federal Government. The route is a mix of divided and undivided highway and also freeway standard roadway.

The NH-M8 designation runs from the junction with Sunraysia Highway (B220) at Mitchell Park and runs through to the interchange with Western Ring Road (NH-M80) at Deer Park. The NH-A8 designated runs from the SA Border to Burrumbeet.

NH-A8 is multiplexed with the following routes:

• B200 (Henty Highway) at Horsham for 3 km
• B240 (Wimmera Highway) at Horsham for 600 m

The Melbourne section of the Western Highway was shown in the 1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan as part of the F12 Freeway corridor.

History:

• 1994: Construction of the Ballarat Bypass (Western Freeway) commences. 3
• 1997: Ballarat Bypass opens to traffic. NH8 converted to NH-A8 / NH-M8. 4
• August 2006: Construction commenced on the Western Highway - Deer Park Bypass interchange at Ravenhall / Caroline Springs. 1
• February 2007: Construction begins on the 9.3 km Deer Park Bypass, from the Western Ring Road at Sunshine West to the Western Highway at Caroline Springs, when complete it will emliminate 20 intersections. 1
• August 2007: Construction commenced on Leakes Road interchange. 1
• December 2007: Traffic switched onto the new Western Highway- Deer Park Bypass interchange at Ravenhall / Caroline Springs. 1
• 18 August 2008: Interchange with new bridge and interchange ramps at Leakes Road in Rockbank opens to traffic. 1

1 Information courtesy of VicRoads
2 Information courtesy of Victorian Department of Transport
3 Information courtesy of City of Ballarat
4 Information courtesy of Viseth Uch

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