Road Photos & Information: Victoria

Tullamarine Freeway & CityLink (Metropolitan Route 43) - Essendon North to Pascoe Vale South

Statistics:

• Length: 23 km (Essendon North to Pascoe Vale South: 6 km)
• Northern Terminus: Airport Drive, Melbourne Drive 1 and Sunbury Road (C743) at Melbourne Airport
• Southern Terminus: West Gate Freeway (M1) at Port Melbourne
• Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along The Route: Essendon North, Strathmore, Pascoe Vale and Pascoe Vale South

Route Numbering:

• Current:  
• Former:  1
• Multiplexes: 
• Road Authority Internal Classification: Freeway #1810 (Tullamarine Fwy) / Freeway #1999 (CityLink) 1
• Forthcoming Alphanumeric:   1

General Information:

Metropolitan Route 43 is located in the western and inner western suburbs of Melbourne and connects the Melbourne CBD with Melbourne Airport in the city's northwest. It's a full freeway route and partially tolled, using passes and e-tags, from Pascoe Vale to Port Melbourne.

The early incarnation of the Tullamarine Fwy prior to 1970 was Lancefield Road, skirting the western edge of Essendon Airport. 1

Multiplexes along the route include:

• Metropolitan Route 40 (along Tullamarine Fwy), for 3 km from Essendon Fields to Strathmore

History:

• 1970: Construction of Tullamarine Fwy from Flemington Rd to Essendon Airport (Calder Hwy Interchange) 1
• 1972: Connection of the Tullamarine Fwy to the then newly built Calder Fwy was opened 1
• 1979: Tullamarine Fwy between Essendon Airport and Calder Fwy upgraded to freeway standards 1
• 1989: Introduction of Metropolitan Route 43 1
• May 1996: Construction begins on CityLink 2
• 15 August 1999: The Western Link section of CityLink and upgraded Tullamarine Fwy (to 8 lanes) between Bulla Road and Flemington Road opened to traffic 2
• 8 October 2006: Stage 1 of the Tullamarine Fwy / Calder Fwy interchange upgrade opens to traffic 3

Preview:	Description:
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at the end of the Calder Fwy (M79 / MR40) at Essendon North for the Bulla Rd (MR37) interchange, October 2006. Image © Rob Tilley
	Matthews Road Overpass: Eastbound at the end of the Calder Fwy (M79 / MR40) approaching Matthews Road and the Tullarmarine Fwy (MR43) interchange, October 2006. Image © Rob Tilley
	Freeway Green Directional Sign: Old freeway green sign on the Matthews Road overpass as you approach the Tullamarine Fwy interchange on the Calder Fwy at Essendon North, October 2006. The coverplate is hiding an NR79 shield and also an F81 shield. Image © Rob Tilley
	Tullamarine Freeway / Bulla Road Interchange: Overbridge for Tullamarine Fwy approaching the Bulla Rd interchange at Essendon North, October 2006. The MR40 duplex starts here. Image © Rob Tilley
	Bulla Road Interchange: Eastbound on Tullamarine Fwy at Strathmore at the Bulla Rd (MR37) interchange, October 2006. Image © Rob Tilley
	Bulla Road Interchange: Eastbound on Tullamarine Fwy at Strathmore at the Bulla Rd (MR37) interchange, October 2006. Image © Rob Tilley
	Bulla Road Interchange: Eastbound on Tullamarine Fwy at Strathmore at the Bulla Rd (MR37) interchange, October 2006. Image © Rob Tilley
	Bulla Road Interchange: Eastbound on Tullamarine Fwy at Strathmore at the Bulla Rd (MR37) interchange, October 2006. Image © Rob Tilley
	Variable Message Sign: VMS at Pascoe Vale between Bulla Rd (MR37) and Bell St (MR40) interchange, October 2006. Image © Rob Tilley
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Pascoe Vale approaching the Bell St (MR40) interchange, October 2006. Image © Rob Tilley
	CityLink Tollway Signage: Sign at Pascoe Vale indicating the tolled section of MR43, October 2006. Image © Rob Tilley
	CityLink Tollway Signage: Sign at Pascoe Vale indicating the tolled section of MR43, October 2006. Image © Rob Tilley
	CityLink Tollway Signage: Sign at Pascoe Vale indicating the tolled section of MR43, October 2006. Image © Rob Tilley
	Bell Street interchange: Looking southeast at Pascoe Vale at the Bell Street (MR40) interchange, October 2006. MR43 changes from Tullamarine Fwy to CityLink at this interchange. Tolling also begins from this interchange. Image © Rob Tilley
	Pascoe Vale South: Citylink looking southeast at Pascoe Vale South, November 2006. Image © Stuart Fox
	Variable Travel Time Sign: Variable sign showing driving times to 3 interchanges along Citylink, Pascoe Vale South, November 2006. Image © Stuart Fox
	Tollway Entrance Sign: Tollway entrance sign at the junction of Moreland Road and Coonans Road at Pascoe Vale South, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
Click here for the continuation of MR43 between Pascoe Vale South and Port Melbourne

1 Viseth Uch
2 VicRoads CityLink Project Overview
3 Media Release, Premiers Office, First Lanes Open To Help Free The Tulla-Calder Tangle