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Pacific Highway, Pacific Motorway & Gateway Motorway (Metroad 1) (Decommissioned) |
Statistics:
Route Numbering:
General Information:
Metroad 1 is the former route number for a collection of motorway standard roads linking Brisbane's northern, eastern and souther suburbs.
Pacific Motorway:
The former Metroad 1 portion of the Pacific Motorway bypasses the suburban areas of outer Brisbane area, and passes through residential, commercial and industrial areas, and features a number of service roads to cater to some of the industrial and commercial zones.
The section from Brisbane to Springwood is formerly known as the South Eastern Freeway.
Gateway Motorway:
The Gateway Motorway passes through Brisbane's eastern suburbs, and services mostly residential and industrial areas, both north and south of the Brisbane River. It provides access to ports and the airport.
The Gateway Motorway features a bridge over the Brisbane River, once known as the Gateway Bridge, but now named Sir Leo Hielscher Bridge, named after an Australian senior public servant and administrator.
The bridge has a number of interesting features including: 2
- A height clearance of 55 m over the high tide mark of the Brisbane River, to allow the largest of ships to pass safely under the bridge.
- A clear span width of at least 230 m so ships of varying size and width could safely manoeuvre under the bridge.
- A maximum 80 m height of the superstructure (including the height of the lamp posts and direction signs) so as not to interfere with flight paths of aircraft taking off or landing at Brisbane Airport.
At the time of its completion, the bridge boasted a number of Australian and world class achievements, including:
- The longest cantilevered concrete box girder main river span, at a length of 260 m.
- An erection truss weighing 650 t.
- Stressing cables in the approach spans were the highest loaded cables in a structure in Australia, with 2200 t of 12 mm low relaxation stressing strand.
- Bridge bearings, with a maximum tested load of 4300 t, were the biggest pot bearings made in Australia.
History:
Pacific Highway & Pacific Motorway:
- 1927: Start of the formation and bitumening of the Pacific Highway in Logan area. 4
- 1930s: Pacific Highway named. 3
- 1 July 1931: Logan Bridge built to military specifications to bear the weight of a small tank. 3 4
- 1965: Brisbane Transportation Study recommended the construction of the South East Freeway. 4
- 1968: New bridge over the river at Loganholme was built in conjunction with the duplication of the Pacific Highway. 4
- November 1972: The first section, opened in Brisbane, was originally known as the Southeast Freeway. 5
- 1985: Completion of South East Freeway, from Brisbane to Springwood. 6
- 1995: National Route 1 replaced by Metroad 1 between Bald Hills and Loganholme.
- December 1996: Motorway upgrade to 6 lanes between Winnetts Road to Beenleigh-Redland Bay Road. 9
- September 2000: Metroad 1 replaced by M1 between Bald Hills and Loganholme.
Gateway Motorway:
- June 1980: The Gateway Bridge Company was established to oversee construction of the Gateway Bridge and, following construction, to maintain the bridge and collect tolls. 7
- August 1980 Work began on the six-lane Gateway Bridge over Brisbane River. 2
- December 1985: The Gateway Bridge and motorway approaches were completed.
- 1986: The Gateway Arterial was constructed in two stages and was completed.
- 11 January 1986: The original Gateway Bridge was officially opened. 18 Around 200,000 people attended the opening festivities and walked the new bridge.
- 1995: National Route 1 replaced by Metroad 1 between Bald Hills and Loganholme.
- September 2000: Metroad 1 replaced by M1 between Bald Hills and Loganholme.
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Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Bruce Hwy (NH1) at Bald Hills approaching the interchange with Gateway Mwy (Metroad1) and Gympie Arterial Rd (Metroad 3), May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Bruce Hwy (NH1) at Bald Hills approaching the interchange with Gateway Mwy (Metroad1) and Gympie Arterial Rd (Metroad 3), May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Gateway Motorway & Gympie Arterial Road: Bruce Hwy (NH1) at the interchange with Gateway Mwy (Metroad 1) and Gympie Arterial Rd (Metroad 3) at Bald Hills, May 2005. This was the southern terminus of National Highway 1 in Queensland at the time, and the end of the Bruce Hwy. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign on Gateway Mwy (Metroad 1) near Wyampa Rd at Bald Hills, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Advance Directional Signs: AD signs on the connection with Deagon Deviation (SR26) at Sandgate, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Freeway Green Advance Directional Sign: Freeway green AD sign on Gateway Mwy (Metroad 1) at Nudgee Beach, approaching Nudgee Rd, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Gateway Mwy (Metroad 1) at Northgate approaching Toombul Rd, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Gateway Mwy (Metroad 1) at Nundah approaching East-West Arterial Rd (SR20), May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Kingsford Smith Drive: Gateway Mwy (Metroad 1) at the interchange with Kingsford Smith Dr (SR25) at Eagle Farm, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Eagle Farm, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Toll Plaza : Gateway Mwy (Metroad 1) at the toll plaza after Gateway Bridge at Murrarie, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Toll Plaza : Gateway Mwy (Metroad 1) at the toll plaza after Gateway Bridge at Murrarie, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Tingalpa, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Freeway Green Reassurance Directional Sign: Freeway green distance sign at Belmont, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Gateway Mwy (Metroad 1) at Mackenzie, approaching Mt Gravatt-Capalaba Rd (Metroad 2), May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Freeway Green Reassurance Directional Sign: Freeway green distance sign at Rochedale, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Gateway Mwy (Metroad 1) approaching Miles Platting Rd (SR56) at Rochedale, May 2005. Note the missing SR56 shield. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Gateway Mwy (Metroad 1) approaching Miles Platting Rd (SR56) at Rochedale, May 2005. Note the missing SR56 shield. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Miles Platting drive: Gateway Mwy (Metroad 1) at the Miles Platting Rd (SR56) interchange at Rochedale, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the Pacific Mwy (Metroad 1) interchange at Rochedale, May 2005. Gateway Mwy continued at this point as Metroad 4. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Rochedale, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Advance Directional Sign : AD sign on the Underwood Rd overpass at Rochedale for Rochedale Rd (SR30) and Fitzgerald Rd interchanges, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley |
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Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign on Pacific Mwy (Metroad 1) at Shailer Park at the Bryants Rd interchange, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley |
| Click here for the continuation of Pacific Highway as National Route 1 Click here for the Bruce Highway as National Highway 1 |
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1 Queensland Government, Transport and Main Roads, Metropolitain Road Region Map, May 2011
2 Queensland Roads Edition No 1 March 2006
3 Bulldust, Beef & Beyond
4 Logan District History
5 Building Brisbane's History: Structure, Sculptures, Stories and Secrets. ISBN 9781921606199
6 Brisbane Times, South-East Queensland transport infrastructure rollout since 1975, 6 July 2010
7 Queensland Roads, Edition No 8, March 2010
Last updated: 05-Jan-2019 18:02
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