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Statistics:

• Length: 21 km
• Northern Terminus: Main South Road (A13) at Sturt
• Southern Terminus: Main South Road (A13) at Hackham / Old Noarlunga
• Suburbs, Towns & Localities along route: Hackham, Noarlunga Downs, Noarlunga Centre, Christie Downs, Lonsdale, Reynella, Sheidow Park, Trott Park, O'Halloran Hill, Darlington and Sturt

Route Numbering:

• Current: M2

General Information:

The Southern Expressway was Australia's only one way motorway. At certain times of the day, it changed direction, depending on the peak flows of traffic. However upgrades have made it a standard dual carriageway motorway, with traffic travelling in both directions similtaneously.

At the location of the route, provision  had  been  made  for  the  development  of  a  north-south  transportation  corridor  serving  the  southern region  since  the  late  1960's.    In  1984  the  then  State  Government  announced  the  Third  Arterial  Project,  the development of which was subsequently split into two phases: the upgrading of Main South Road and Marion Road in the Darlington area and the construction of a new road from Bedford Park / Darlington to Reynella.   The Southern Expressway Project, announced in March 1995, forms the second phase of this project. 1

The route features electronic overhead signs at the approaches to the entry and exit points indicate the direction of traffic with crosses and arrows, red lights on the side of the road warn motorists attempting to travel in the opposite direction to the flow of traffic and also roadside signs along the Southern Expressway flash in hazardous situations -  yellow to advise motorists to slow down or red to stop. 2

The table below indicates traffic flow direction times: 2

History:

• March 21 1995: The SA government announced that it would begin the construction in December of the Southern Expressway, from Darlington to Old Noarlunga. 3
• December 1997: Stage 1 of the Southern Expressway opened.  4
• September 2002: Built Environs, in a joint venture with LR & M, completed the $48 000 000 second stage of the Southern Expressway between Noarlunga and Reynella. As well as laying down roadway, the project involved the construction of major earthworks, four bridges, five culverts, landscaping, lighting and noise mounds, and required 15 000 square metres of retaining walls and 1 200 000 cubic metres of cut-to-fill, including 200 000 cubic metres of blasted rock. 5
• May 2004: Upgrade an arrestor bed, located approximately 500 metres from the South Road and Marion Road intersections. 6
• June 2004: New lighting installed beneath road bridges along Stage 2 of the Southern Expressway, between Panalatinga Road at Reynella to Main South Road, Old Noarlunga. 7
• May 2008: Installation of a variable message sign and variable speed limit signs between Majors Road and Marion Road. 8
• 2011: Duplication of Southern Expressway commenced.
• 3 August 2014: Duplication of Southern Expressway opened to traffic. 9

Hackham to Bedford Park			Bedford Park to Hackham
Preview:	Description:		Preview:	Description:
	Advance Directional Sign: Variable AD sign, northbound on Main South Road (A13) at Hackham, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Beach Rd at Morphett Vale approaching Southern Expressway (M2), July 2004. Image © Michael Greenslade
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign over Main South Rd at Hackham at the junction with Southern Expwy, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands			Southern Expressway: View over Southern Expwy from Beach Rd at Morphett Vale, July 2004. Image © Michael Greenslade
	Variable One Way Sign: Variable one way sign at Noarlunga Downs on the Southern Expressway. When not showing One Way, it shows Wrong Way Go Back or No Entry. September 2009. Image © Paul Rands			Ramp: Reversible ramp at the Beach Rd interchange, Morphett Vale, July 2004. Image © Michael Greenslade
	Perry Path: Southern Expwy as it heads northbound under Perry Path at Noarlunga Downs, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Peppermint Path: Southern Expway as it heads northbound under Peppermint Path at Noarlunga Downs, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Noarlunga Downs, for the Beach Road interchange, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Honeypot Road: Southern Expway as it heads northbound under Honeypot Rd at Noarlunga Downs, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Beach Road Interchange: ID sign at the Beach Rd interchange at Noarlunga Downs, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Poznan Path: Poznan Path and Beach Road interchange at Noarlunga Centre, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Beach Road Interchange: The split between Southern Expressway and Beach Road at Noarlunga Centre, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Beach Road Interchange: Southern Expway as it passes through the Beach Rd interchange at Noarlunga Centre, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Elizabeth Road: Southern Expwy as it travels under Elizabeth Rd in Christie Downs, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Flaxmill Road: Southern Expwy as it travels under Flaxmill Rd in Christie Downs, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Glenhelen Path: Glenhelen Path pedestrian bridge at Christie Downs, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Lonsdale for Sherriffs Rd, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	O'Sullivan Beach Road: Southern Expwy as it passes under O'Sullivan Beach Road at Lonsdale, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Sherriffs Road Interchange: Intersection directional sign at the right-hand exit of Sherriffs Road in Lonsdale, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Sherriffs Road Interchange: The right-handed interchange with Sherriffs Road at Lonsdale, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Gantry: ID and AD signs on Sherriffs Rd approaching Southern Expwy (M2) and Brodie Rd at Reynella, July 2004. Image © Michael Greenslade
	Sugarbush Path: Southern Expressway as it passes under Sugarbush Path in Reynella, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Moore Road Overpass: Southern Expwy as it passes under Moore Rd in Reynella, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Young Street: Southern Expressway at Sheidow Park as it passes under Young Street, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Glenthorne Path: Glenthorne Path bridge at Trott Park, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Majors Road Overpass: Southern Expwy at Trott Park as it passes under Majors Rd, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Steep Descent Ahead: Steep descent ahead warning signs as the Southern Expressway makes its way down O'Halloran Hill, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at O'Halloran Hill for the junction at Sturt with Main South Rd (A13) and Marion Rd (A14), September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Arrester Bed Ahead Sign: Sign at Darlington indicating distance and entrance to the arrester bed at the bottom of the hill. September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Variable Message Sign: VMS sign at Darlington showing access to Marion Road (A14) interchange, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Arrester Bed Ahead Sign: Sign at Darlington indicating distance to the arrester bed at the bottom of the hill. September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: Variable AD sign at the interchange with Marion Road (A14) at Sturt, September 2009. Click here for a photo of this location by Michael Greenslade from December 2003. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection Directional Signs: ID sign assembly at the interchange with Marion Rd (A14) at Sturt, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	End M2 / Main South Road Intersection: The northern terminus of M2 - Main South Road (A13) at Sturt, September 2009. Image © Paul Rands

1 Parliament of South Australia, Southern Expressway Stage 2 Submission to the Parliamentary Public Works Committee, Environmental Report Summary
2 Transport SA, Traffic Operations, Southern Expressway Traffic Management System Page
3 Green Left, Expressway Opposition in Adelaide
4 Parliament of South Australia, Southern Expressway Stage 2 Submission to the Parliamentary Public Works Committee, Proposal
5 Built Environs, Southern Expressway Stage 2
6 Transport SA, Media Releases, Safety Improvements on the Southern Expressway
7 Transport SA, Media Releases, New Lighting Night Hours
8 Premier of South Australia, Mike Rann News, Safety Upgrade to Southern Expressway
9 Government of South Australia, Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, Southern Expressway Duplication

Last updated: 29-Nov-2020 18:09

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