| Road Photos & Information: New South Wales |
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Lane Cove Tunnel, Hills Motorway, Old Windsor Road, Windsor Road & Bridge Street
(Metroad 2) - Former Alignment (Decommissioned) |
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Statistics:
- Length: 46 km
- Eastern Terminus: Pacific Highway (Metroad 1), Gore Hill Freeway (Metroad 1) and Longueville Road, Lane Cove
- Western Terminus: Bridge Street and Macquarie Street, Windsor
- Suburbs, Towns & Localities along route: Lane Cove, Lane Cove West, Lane Cove North, North Ryde, Macquarie Park, Marsfield, Epping, Cheltenham, Beecroft, West Pennant Hills, North Rocks, Baulkham Hills, Winston Hills, Seven Hills, Bella Vista, Glenwood, Kellyville, Beaumont Hills, Rouse Hill, Box Hill, Riverstone, Vineyard, McGraths Hills, Mulgrave and Windsor.
Route Numbering:
- Former:
- Road Authority Internal Classification: MR635 (Old Windsor Road) / MR184 (Windsor Road) 1
General Information:
Metroad 2 is a major route located in the Sydney area, linking the northwestern suburbs with Sydney's inner suburbs, and eventually via, several other routes to the central business district.
The route has gone through a number of signficant changes since it was introduced, along with Sydney's other Metroads back in the early 1990s. Several changes to routing have occured, massive upgrades between Seven Hills and Windsor and more. Details of the changes are covered in the history section below.
History:
The Roads and Traffic Authority's Heritage Register features a detailed history on the route, and can be found here.
- 1792 onwards: Construction of what is now named Windsor Road and Old Windsor Road. 1
- 1794: A road was established between the Green Hills / Hawkesbury area and the older settlement at Parramatta. 1
- 1797: Governor Hunter ordered landholders to undertake road improvements along the Hawkesbury Road, including widening the road to 20 feet. (This is the date for the creation of the Windsor Road as a carriageway). 1
- 1802: A bridge was constructed at a new South Creek crossing of the Windsor Road, financed by tolls, and replacing the previous punt crossing further east. The current road alignment at South Creek dates from this time. The earlier road alignment, leading to the punt crossing, is reflected in the alignment of the present day Hawkesbury Road. 1
- 1805: Surveyor James Meehan surveyed an alignment between Parramatta and Kellyville which became the basis for the (New) Windsor Road in 1813. 1
- 1810: Governor Macquarie established five towns along the Hawkesbury River: Windsor, Richmond, Pitt Town, Wilberforce, and Castlereagh. A contractor, James Harrex, was engaged to build a new turnpike road between Parramatta and Kellyville, following Meehan's 1805 alignment via Castle Hill. This new alignment would avoid the hilly section (referred to by Governor King in 1803 as "the Seven Hills") of the original (Old) Windsor Road. The new alignment also enabled a more direct route to the Hawkesbury from Sydney. 1
- 1812: Upon the failure of James Harrex to complete the new road works, John Howe took over and completed the contract, which included the construction of 70 bridges. The new road was 32 feet wide and alignment stones marked the carriageway. 1
- 1810s: Governor Macquarie introduced a toll system on the Windsor Road with toll gates north of Parramatta and south of Rouse Hill. 1
- 1816: Construction of a toll house at Rouse Hill. 1
- 11 September 1833: Windsor Road was proclaimed as a Main Road and gazetted, with Old Windsor Road being declared a Parish Road. 1
- 1835 A toll house, the second on the site, was constructed at the South Creek crossing near Windsor. 1
- 1849: The Windsor Road Trust was formed to oversee maintenance of the Windsor Road. 1
- 1853: Fitzroy Bridge constructed across South Creek at Windsor, replacing the earlier Howe's Bridge. 1
- 1924: The Department of Public Works used water-based macadam in reconstructing the Windsor Road near Rouse Hill. Water-based macadam was an improved road surface treatment necessitated by the rapid rise of the motor vehicle. 1
- 1926: A bitumen coating was laid completed on Windsor Road near Rouse Hill, and renewed in 1928-9. 1
- 22 May 1928: Windsor Road, together with Bells Line of Road and the Darling Causeway was announced as Main Road 184. 1
- 1940s: Cutting and filling of the Old Windsor and Windsor Roads was reportedly undertaken by the United States military to prepare evacuation routes should a Japanese invasion take place in Sydney. 1
- 1948: Shoulders of the Windsor Road were widened to 22 feet to provide for anticipated traffic. 1
- 26 May 1997: Hills Motorway opens to traffic, given Metroad 2 designation. 1
- October 2002: Upgrade to four lanes from Norbrik to Celebration Drive, Glenwood completed. 1
- March 2002: Upgrade to four lanes from Sunnyholt Road to Merriville Road, Kellyville completed. 1
- June 2002: Upgrade to four lanes from Henry Road to Curtis Road, Vineyard completed. 1
- February 2003: Intersection improvements at Old Windsor Road and Seven Hills Road, and Seven Hills Road to Abbott Road, Seven Hills completed. 1
- August 2003: Upgrade to four lanes from Merriville Road to Schofields Road, Rouse Hill completed. 1
- April 2004: Upgrade to four lanes from Schofields Road to Mile End Road, Rouse Hill completed, and also the upgrade to four lanes from Level Crossing Road to Henry Road, Vineyard completed, plus the upgrade to four lanes from Curtis Road, Vineyard to Pitt Town Road, McGraths Hill completed. 1
- December 2004: Upgrade to four lanes from Norwest Boulevarde to Showground Road, Castle Hill completed 1
- July 2006: Upgrade to four lanes from Roxborough Park Road to Norwest Boulevard, Baulkham Hills completed, also the upgrade to four lanes from Acres Road to Old Windsor Road, Kellyville completed. 1
- September 2006: Upgrade to four lanes from Boundary Road to Level Crossing Road, Vineyard completed. 1
- December 2006: Upgrade to four lanes opened to traffic from Mile End Road, Rouse Hill to Boundary Road, Box Hill. 1
- March 2007: Metroad 2 rerouted from Epping and Longueville Roads to the then newly opened Lane Cove Tunnel. 1
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Black Directional Sign:
Old sign on Metroad 2 showing the former SR40, this sign was replaced during upgrades to Windsor Road. Corner of Windsor Road and Junction Road Riverstone.
May 2004.
Image © Paul Rands |
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Seven Hills Road Intersection:
Old Windsor Rd (Metroad 2) at Seven Hills Road in Bella Vista. During the 1970s, the then DMR installed traffic signals here. In the mid 80s they were replaced by a roundabout. Eventually congestion got a point that the roundabout had part time signals installed that operated during high traffic. The Old Windsor Road upgrade saw the RTA install full-time signals at the intersection again. October 2005.
Image © Paul Rands |
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Advance Directional Sign:
Large AD sign for the approaching intersection with Hills Motorway and Abbott Road, Baulkham Hills southbound, October 2005.
Image © Paul Rands |
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Intersection Directional Sign:
Sign on the intersection with the Hills Motorway and Abbott Road at Baulkham Hills. October 2005.
Image © Paul Rands |
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Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Abbott Road (eastbound) at Seven Hills, September 2007.
Image © Paul Rands |
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Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign facing Abbott Road at Seven Hills as you pass under the T-Way bus only bridge at the junction with Old Windsor Road and Hills Motorway, September 2007.
Image © Paul Rands |
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Windsor Road / Hills Motorway Interchange:
Eastbound at Winston Hills as you enter the interchange with the Hills Motorway. September 2007.
Note the recent but freeway green prohibition sign.
Image © Paul Rands |
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Distance Sign:
RD sign as you enter the Hills Motorway at Winston Hills. This is where the M7 duplex once began. Looking southeast, September 2007.
Image © Paul Rands |
1 Roads and Traffic Authority
Last updated:
15-Nov-2013 23:07
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