Road Photos & Information: New South Wales: Russell Street, Castlereagh Road, Jane Street, Belmore Street, North Street, Great Western Highway & Parramatta Road (A44)

Road Photos & Information: New South Wales

A44

Russell Street, Castlereagh Road, Jane Street, Belmore Street, North Street, Great Western Highway & Parramatta Road (A44) - Mount Druitt to Parramatta

Statistics:

Length: 45 km (Mt Druitt to Parramatta: 18 km)
Western Terminus: Western Motorway (M4) and Leonay Parade at Emu Plains
Eastern Terminus: Western Motorway (M4) & Parramatta Road (A4) at Strathfield
Miscellaneous: Great Western Highway is truncated at Emu Plains from Russell Street, but continues as A32 from Lapstone at the end of the Western Motorway (M4). Parramatta Road continues as A4 from North Strathfield
Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along The Route: Minchinbury, Rooty Hill, Huntingwood, Arndell Park, Blacktown, Prospect, Greystaynes, Girraween, Pendle Hill and Wentworthville

Route Numbering:

Current: A44

Former:
Multiplexes:
Road Authority Internal Classification: HW5 1

General Information:

A44 is an east-west route that forms a major arterial route in Sydney's western suburbs. It's a mostly multi-laned road, much of which is divided. It's Australia's oldest road.

Since the completion of Western Mwy (M4) the importance of the route has changed, however it's still one of the city's busier routes.

Multiplexes along the route include:

Tourist Drive 9, for 1300 m at Parramatta

History:

1791: A track was cut between Sydney and Parramatta, which was used for official business only, not general travel. 2
January 1797: Governor Captain John Hunter orders the route be of the track between Sydney and Parramatta to be upgraded. 2
July 1797: Work begins to widen the track between Sydney and Parramatta to 20 feet wide. 2
August 1797: Completion of the widening of the track between Sydney and Parramatta. 2
October 1797: Bridge over Duck River completed. 2
10 May 1810: Tolling is introduced along the route between Sydney and Parramatta, and beyond to Windsor. The tolling was introduced to fund road upgrades. 2
June 1858: The Main Roads Management Act appoints Captain BH Martindale as the person responsible for the management of 3 main roads in the colony including the Great Western Road, from Sydney via Parramatta, Penrith, Hartley and Bathurst to Wellington. 2
7 June 1926: A board meeting resolved to set aside funding from the Commonwealth's road funding scheme for road development to be used on some of NSW 'great trunk routes', which included the Great Western Road. 2
1938: Installation of warning signs, roadmarkings and guide posts along a 60 mile stretch between Parramatta and Mt Victoria. These were implemented for testing, for a possible statewide rollout. 2
1939: After successful testing of warning signs, roadmarkings and guide posts, the system was implemented statewide. Also the full completion of pavement along the Great Western Road. 2
2013: State Route 44 replaced by A44.

Click here for historic photos between Mt Druitt and Parramatta

Preview:	Description:
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Kington St, Rooty Hill, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Kington Street: ID sign at the Kington St junction, Rooty Hill, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign approaching Rooty Hill Rd Sth and Wallgrove Rd at Rooty Hill, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Rooty Hill Rd Sth and Wallgrove Rd at Rooty Hill, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Rooty Hill Rd Sth and Wallgrove Rd at Rooty Hill for the Westlink (M7) interchange, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Wallgrove Road & Rooty Hill Road South: Great Western Hwy (A44) at the Rooty Hill Rd Sth and Wallgrove Rd junction in Rooty Hill, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Wallgrove Road & Rooty Hill Road South: Great Western Hwy (A44) at the Rooty Hill Rd Sth and Wallgrove Rd junction in Rooty Hill, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Westlink Interchange: Great Western Hwy (A44) at the interchange with Westlink (M7) at Rooty Hill, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Reassurance Directional Sign: RD sign at Eastern Creek near the former OTC site, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Doonside Rd and Brabham Dr in Eastern Ck, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Doonside Road & Brabham Drive: Intersection directional sign at the junction with Doonside Rd and Brabham Dr in Eastern Creek, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Doonside Road & Brabham Drive: Intersection directional sign at the junction with Doonside Rd and Brabham Dr in Eastern Creek, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Reservoir Rd, Blacktown, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign approaching Reservoir Rd, Blacktown, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Reservoir Road: Corner of Great Western Highway (A44) and Reservoir Road at Blacktown, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Reservoir Road: Corner of Great Western Highway (A44) and Reservoir Road at Blacktown, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: RD sign at Blacktown, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Flushcombe Road: Corner of Great Western Hwy (A44) and Flushcombe Rd, Blacktown, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Prospect Hwy at Prospect, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Prospect Highway Interchange: Great Western Hwy (A44) at the interchange with Prospect Hwy in Prospect, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Blacktown Rd and Clunies Ross St, Prospect, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Toongabbie Rd at Prospect, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Toongabbie Road: Corner of Great Western Hwy (A44) and Toongabbie Rd in Prospect, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Greystanes Rd in Girraween, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign approaching Cumberland Hwy (A28) at Wentworthville, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Cumberland Hwy (A28) at Wentworthville, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign approaching Cumberland Hwy (A28) at Wentworthville, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Cumberland Highway: Great Western Hwy (A44) at the intersection with Cumberland Hwy (A28) in Wentworthville, September 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign on the corner of Great Western Hwy (A44) and O'Connell St, Parramatta, January 2017. Image © Spenser Tan
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Great Western Hwy (A44) approaching Marsden St at Parramatta, January 2017. Image © Spenser Tan
Click here for the continuation of A44 between Emu Plains and Mount Druitt Click here for the continuation of A44 between Parramatta and Strathfield

1 Roads and Traffic Authority, Schedule of Classified Roads (and unclassified Regional Roads), 25 February 2008
2 Department of Main Roads. The Roadmakers, A History of Main Roads in New South Wales, ISBN 0 7240 0439 4

Last updated: 02-Jan-2019 19:30

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