Road Photos & Information: New South Wales: Western Distributor, Victoria Road, James Ruse Drive, Cumberland Highway, Old Windsor Road, Hawkesbury Valley Way, East Market Street, March Street, Kurrajong Road, Bells Line of Road, Chifley Road, Mort Street & Main Street (State Route 40)

Road Photos & Information: New South Wales

Western Distributor, Victoria Road, James Ruse Drive, Cumberland Highway, Old Windsor Road, Hawkesbury Valley Way, East Market Street, March Street, Kurrajong Road, Bells Line of Road, Chifley Road, Eddy Street, Lithgow Street, Mort Street & Main Street (State Route 40) - Bilpin to Lithgow (Decommissioned)

Statistics:

Length: 117 km (Bilpin to Lithgow: 52 km)
Eastern Terminus: Macquarie Street (Metroad 9) and Hawkesbury Valley Way at Windsor
Western Terminus: Caroline Avenue and Great Western Highway (NR32) at Lithgow
Miscellaneous: State Route 40 is in 2 sections after it was decommissioned between Windsor and Rydalmere. The route was then rerouted via North Parramatta, Northmead, Old Toongabbie and Seven Hills
Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along The Route: Berambing, Mt Tomah, Bell, Dargan, Clarence and Lithgow

Route Numbering:

Current:
Road Authority Internal Classification: MR184 (Windsor to Bell) and MR516 (Bell to Lithgow) 1
Decommissioned: 2013

General Information:

State Route 40 is major route of New South Wales. The eastern section is an arterial road linking various western and inner western suburbs with Sydney's CBD. The western section is an alternative route over the Blue Mountains, connecting the state's west to Sydney.

The eastern part of the route has several features along it such as Iron Cove Bridge, Western Distributor (which is a series of viaducts connecting to several streets in the CBD of Sydney) and the Gladesville Bridge. Both the Western Distributor and Gladesville Bridge (and the associated Burns Bay Road (former SR21)) were to form part of the F3 Freeway from Sydney to the Hunter Region of NSW.

The western section of the route is quite windy and hilly once off the Cumberland Plain, as it crosses the Great Dividing Range. The line it follows dates back to the 1800s. The route passes through residential and commercial areas, as well as some rural and large tracts of forested areas.

The James Ruse Drive section of SR40 is named after the first landholder in the Parramatta area. 2

History:

1939: Work begins to improve the condition of Bells Line of Road, as an unemployment relief program. Work commenced in the Bell area. 3
1950: Completion of improvement works along Bells Line of Road. 3

Bilpin to Lithgow		Lithgow to Bilpin
Preview:	Description:	Preview:	Description:
	Entering Berambing: Bells Line of Road as it enters the town of Berambing, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign in Lithgow used to help motorists to negotiate a fairly complicated urban area, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Distance Sign: Tourism based distance sign at Mount Tomah, west of Skyline Road and the botanic gardens, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Reassurance Directional Sign: DIstance sign in Lithgow town centre, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Mount Tomah: Bells Line of Road as it passes through the Mount Tomah area, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Advance DIrectional Sign: AD sign approaching the unnumbered section of Main St in Lithgow, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Mount Tomah: Bells Line of Road as it passes through the Mount Tomah area, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the junction with Main St, Lithgow, November 2010. SR40 turns right at this junction. Image © Rob Tilley
	Mount Tomah: Bells Line of Road as it passes through the Mount Tomah area, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection DIrectional Sign: ID sign at the junction with Lithgow St in Lithgow, November 2010. SR40 turns left at this junction. Image © Rob Tilley
	Mount Tomah: Bells Line of Road as it passes through the Mount Tomah area, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Corner of Mort & Eskbank Streets: Intersection directional signs at the signalised intersection near the community college in Lithgow, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
	Mount Charles: Bells Line of Road as it crosses Mt Charles, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign without route number near Mort St in Lithgow, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Mount Banks: Bells Line of Road as it passes the entrance to the Mount Banks picnic area, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Distance Sign: RD sign at leaving Lithgow, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Mount Banks: Bells Line of Road as it passes through the Mount Banks area, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign for the Petra Av turn off to Zig Zag Railway, Clarence, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Mt Wilson approaching Mt Wilson Rd, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Distance Sign: RD sign at Clarence, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Mount Wilson: Bells Line of Road as it passes through the Mount Wilson area, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign for the Petra Av turn off to Zig Zag Railway, Clarence, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Bell Range: Approaching the divided section of Bells Line of Road (SR40), which was divided in the 1990s to reduce centre crossover crashes, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign for the Petra Av turn off to Zig Zag Railway, Clarence, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Bell Range: The divided section of Bells Line of Road (SR40), which was divided in the 1990s to reduce centre crossover crashes, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Petra Avenue: Corner of Bells Line of Road (SR40) and Petra Av in Clarence, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Bell Range: The divided section of Bells Line of Road (SR40), which was divided in the 1990s to reduce centre crossover crashes, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the Petra Av junction in Clarence, November 2010. Note the inverted route shield. This sign has since been replaced. Image © Rob Tilley
	Entering Bell: Bells Line of Road as it enters the town of Bell, which was once a semi-major service stop along the route, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Entering Bell: Bells Line of Road (SR40) entering the village of Bell, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Bell: Bells Line of Road as it passes through the town of Bell, which was once a semi-major service stop along the route, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Darling Causeway at Bell, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Bell Heavy Vehicle Checking Station Sign: Bells Line of Road (SR40) approaching the Bell heavy vehicle checking station, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the Darling Causeway junction in Bell, November 2010. The old building in the background is a former Golden Fleece service station that closed in the early 1980s. Image © Rob Tilley
	Bell Heavy Vehicle Checking Station Sign: Bells Line of Road (SR40) approaching the Bell heavy vehicle checking station, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Distance Sign: RD sign leaving Bell, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Bell Heavy Vehicle Checking Station: Bells Line of Road (SR40) as it passes the Bell heavy vehicle checking station, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Tourism Distance Sign: Tourism based RD sign leaving Bell, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Bells Line of Road (SR40) at Bell approaching Darling Causeway, December 2005. This is where SR40 becomes Chifley Rd. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Mt Wilson Rd at Mt Wilson, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Darling Causeway & Chifley Road: Bells Line of Road (SR40) at Bell at the junction with Darling Causeway, December 2005. This is where SR40 becomes Chifley Rd and veers right. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Mt Wilson Rd at Mt Wilson, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Entering Dargan: Chifley Road (SR40) as it enters Dargan, December 2005. Note the old timber and wire safety fence. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at Mt Wilson Rd at Mt Wilson, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Distance Sign: RD sign on Chifley Rd (SR40) at Dargan, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Distance Sign: RD sign at Mt Wilson, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Main Western Railway: Chifley Rd (SR40) as it crosses the Main Western Railway at Dargan, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional sign: ID sign at Pierces Pass Rd, Mt Wilson, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Clarence approaching Old Bells Line of Road and Petra Av, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional sign: ID sign at Mt Banks Rd, Mt Wilson, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Clarence approaching Old Bells Line of Road, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Mount Charles: Bells Line of Road as it crosses over Mt Charles, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Petra Avenue & Old Bells Line of Road: Chifley Rd (SR40) at the Petra Av and Old Bells Line of Rd junction at Clarence, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Entering Mt Tomah: Bells Line of Road entering the Mt Tomah area, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Clarence: Chifley Rd (SR40) as it passes through the Clarence area, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Mt Tomah Botanic Garden, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Clarence: Chifley Rd (SR40) as it passes through the Clarence area, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands		Distance Sign: RD sign at Mt Tomah, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Distance Sign: Reassurance directional sign at Clarence, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
	Scenic Hill: Chifley Rd (SR40) as it descends Scenic Hill at Clarence, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
	Scenic Hill: Chifley Rd (SR40) as it descends Scenic Hill at Clarence, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
	Scenic Hill: Chifley Rd (SR40) as it descends Scenic Hill at Clarence, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
	Scenic Hill: Chifley Rd (SR40) as it descends Scenic Hill at Clarence, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
	Scenic Hill: Chifley Rd (SR40) as it descends Scenic Hill at Clarence, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
	Scenic Hill: Chifley Rd (SR40) as it descends Scenic Hill at Lithgow, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
	Scenic Hill: Chifley Rd (SR40) as it descends Scenic Hill at Lithgow, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
	Entering Lithgow: Chifley Rd (SR40) as it enters Lithgow, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
	Entering Lithgow: Chifley Rd (SR40) as it enters Lithgow, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
	Lithgow: Chifley Rd (SR40) as it passes through Lithgow, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
	Mort Street: Eddy St (SR40) as it becomes Mort St (SR40) in Lithgow, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
	Mort Street: Mort St (SR40) as it passes through Lithgow, bypassing the CBD, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
	Lithgow Street: Mort St (SR40) at the Lithgow St junction in Lithgow, December 2005. SR40 turns right onto Lithgow St. Image © Paul Rands
	Black Intersection Directional Sign: Black ID sign at the corner of Main St and Lithgow St in Lithgow, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
	Lithgow: Main St (SR40) as it passes through Lithgow, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
	Lithgow: Main St (SR40) as it passes through Lithgow, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
	End State Route 40: Western terminus of SR40, the junction with Great Western Hwy (NR32) and Caroline Av in Lithgow, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
Click here for the continuation of SR40 between Windsor and Bilpin

1 Roads & Traffic Authority, Schedule of Classified Roads and State & Regional Roads, 31 January 2011
2 Sam Laybutt (OzRoads)
3 Department of Main Roads, The Roadmakers, A History of Main Roads in New South Wales, ISBN 0 7240 0439 4

Last updated: 17-Dec-2019 0:55

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