Road Photos & Information: New South Wales
A22   Broadway, Parramatta Road & Hume Highway (A22)

Statistics:

Route Numbering:

General Information:

A22 is a main route in and out of Sydney's CBD to the city's southwestern suburbs.

Formed by some of the earliest roads built in the colony, the route is generally multi-laned and passes through commercial, residential and industrial areas.

Features along the route include Remembrance Driveway, which commemorates fallen soldiers at war. Also along the route at the Woodville Rd junction in Villawood, is the Meccano Set. It's an unusual overhead installation of traffic signals. Its nickname comes from the Meccano toy, which some people say the intersection resembles. Eastbound traffic also uses one of the oldest bridges still in use in metropolitain Sydney at Lansdowne.

The Meccano Set from Woodville Road. Image © Roads & Maritime Services

Meccano Set Traffic Signals:

At the corner of Woodville Rd, Henry Lawson Dr and Hume Hwy at Lansvale sits one of Sydney's most well-known road structures. Named after the child's toy, the "Meccano Set" is a steel gantry built over the intersection housing traffic signals and directional signage.

Erected in December 1962, the Meccano Set is constructed of steel on concrete footings. At the time of construction, the main beams were fabricated from 12 to 16 flat metal plates, each up to 2.4 metres wide. These were rolled and welded together to shape the 32 metre long beams. Cross bars were welded inside the cylinders to ensure the strength of each beam. 2

Investigations in 2003 found it to be structurally safe, however later investigations showed peeling paint and rust, requiring action. 3

In 2019, designers used 3D survey technology to scan the intersection and create accurate drawings of the structure, which were used to pre-fabricate a new gantry. The 2019 fabrication process involved producing only three pipes for each 32 metre beam. Once completed, the newly produced beams and the support columns were trucked to the intersection and lifted into place, one beam at a time over four consecutive Saturday nights in May and June 2019. 2

The new structure of the Meccano Set consists of four beams assembled in rhombus shape. Each beam is 32 metres long and weighs five tonnes. The steel structure sits six metres above the road on four columns. The total weight of the new Meccano Set is about 25 tonnes. 2

History:

Ultimo to Liverpool   Liverpool to Ultimo
Preview: Description:   Preview: Description:
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Parramatta Rd (A22) at Summer Hill approaching Liverpool Rd (Hume Hwy) (A22) and Parramatta Rd (unnumbered), December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

  Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Backstown, April 2011.

Image © Paul Rands

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:
Supplemental AD sign on Parramatta Rd (A22) at Summer Hill approaching Liverpool Rd (Hume Hwy) (A22) and Parramatta Rd (unnumbered), December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

  Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Hume Hwy (A22) at Greenacre approaching Stacey St (A6), January 2017.

Image © Spenser Tan

Liverpool Road & Parramatta Road:
ID sign on the corner of Parramatta Rd (A22), Liverpool Rd (Hume Hwy) (A22) and Parramatta Rd (unnumbered) at Summer Hill, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

  Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign at the corner of Hume Hwy (A22) and Stacey St (A6) at Greenacre, January 2017.

Image © Spenser Tan

Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Warwick Farm approaching Homepride Av, January 2017.

Image © Spenser Tan

  Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Warwick Farm approaching Governer Macquarie Dr, January 2017.

Image © Spenser Tan

Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Warwick Farm, January 2017.

Image © Spenser Tan

  Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Warwick Farm approaching Cumberland Hwy (A28), January 2017.

Image © Spenser Tan

Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Cabramatta approachign Cabramatta Rd, January 2017.

Image © Spenser Tan

  Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign at the corner of Hume Hwy (A22) and Cumberland Hwy (A28), January 2017. Hume Hwy becomes A28 at this junction.

Image © Spenser Tan

Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Cabramatta Rd at Cabramatta approaching Hume Hwy (A22), January 2017.

Image © Spenser Tan

     
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign at the corner of Hume Hwy (A22) and Stacey St (A6) at Yagoona, January 2017.

Image © Spenser Tan

     
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Parramatta Road (unnumbered) approaching the A22 section of Parramatta Rd and Liverpool Rd (A22) at Haberfield, July 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign on Parramatta Road (unnumbered) approaching the A22 section of Parramatta Rd and Liverpool Rd (A22) at Haberfield, July 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Distance Sign:
Reassurance directional sign at Haberfield, July 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Tebbutt St in Summer Hill, July 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Johnstone St, Stanmore, July 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Pyrmont Bridge Rd in Camperdown, July 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching City Rd (A36) in Camperdown, July 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

     
City Road:
Corner of Parramatta Rd (A22), Broadway (A22) and City Rd (A36) in Camperdown, July 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

     

1 Roads and Traffic Authority, Schedule of Classified Roads (and unclassified Regional Roads, February 2009
2 NSW Government, Transport of NSW, Roads and Maritime, Media Releases, The Hume Highway ‘Meccano Set’ finds new life End of work, 1 July 2019
3 NSW Government, Transport of NSW, Roads and Maritime, Media Releases, Meccano Set Replacement Project, Frequently Asked Questions, November 2018
4 Department of Main Roads. The Roadmakers, A History of Main Roads in New South Wales, ISBN 0 7240 0439 4
5 Roads and Traffic Authority
6 NSW Government, Transport of NSW, Roads and Maritime, Projects, Meccano Set
7 NSW Government, Transport of NSW, Roads and Maritime, Media Releases, Renowned 'Meccano set' Restoration complete, 2 June 2019

Last updated: 13-Aug-2020 12:56

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