Princes Freeway

Infobox Australian Road | type=freeway
road_name = Princes Freeway
route_

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route_

route_

photo = Princes-freeway-lara-victoria.jpg
caption = Princes Freeway at Lara Formerly
length = 181
direction = West - East
start =
finish =
est =
through = Little River, Werribee, Warragul, Trafalgar, Moe, Morwell
route = M1 (Australia)
exits = "Western section"

"for full list see Interchanges"

The Princes Freeway is a convert|181|km|mi|0, 2 section freeway, which links Melbourne to Geelong on the west (convert|46|km|mi|0) and Morwell on the east (convert|135|km|mi|0). It continues beyond these extremities as the Princes Highway towards Adelaide to the west and Sydney to the east. The freeway bears the designation M1.

The western section linking Geelong and Melbourne is an important commuter and freight route between the two cities; the eastern section links Melbourne with the Latrobe Valley. The entire freeway is one of the busiest sections of rural highway in Victoria, used by large numbers of freight and commercial vehicles and provides access to tourist attractions in central and east Gippsland. It supports Victoria's rural industries and tourism.

Current Route

The western section (also known as Princes Freeway West or Geelong Road) starts from Altona at the West Gate Interchange, where the Western Ring Road and the old Geelong Road can be accessed by off ramps, and ends at Geelong. This section is a three lane, high quality freeway with a speed limit of 100km/h.

The eastern section (also known as Princes Freeway East) starts from Yarragon, a two lane divided freeway. Traffic must still travel through the towns of Yarragon and Trafalgar (where planning for a bypass is underway), where the road reverts to the Princes Highway. Even in the "freeway" sections, there are several highway standard at-grade intersections, which are proven to be highly dangerous Fact|date=December 2007. There are no plans to eliminate them.

The western and eastern sections are connected together through the Melbourne suburbs by the West Gate Freeway, CityLink and the Monash Freeway. These five sections of road together constitute the route M1 which is part of National Highway 1.

The Princes Freeway subsumes and bypasses most sections of the older Princes Highway. Former bypassed sections of the Princes Highway are generally signed with a National Route Alt 1 shield (within eastern Melbourne) or designated sequentially from C101 to C107.

Interchanges

Western section

Eastern section

New Sections

Geelong Ring Road

The Federal and State Government announced the construction of a new bypass extending 23 kilometres along Geelong's western outskirts from the Princes Freeway in Corio to the Princes Highway in Waurn Ponds. Drivers using the Bypass between Corio and Waurn Ponds will avoid up to 29 sets of traffic lights, with a travel time at freeway speeds of less than 15 minutes compared with the current 25 - 60 minute trip through Geelong. [cite web
url=http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/newsroom/news_item_archive.asp?id=602
title=' FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR GEELONG BYPASS AS FIRST AUSLINK FUNDING AGREEMENT SIGNED' - 27 May 2005
accessdate=2007-07-26]

The Federal Government allocated $186 million in funding [cite web
url=http://www.ministers.dotars.gov.au/jl/releases/2007/july/l048_2007.htm
title='AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT AGREEMENT FOR GEELONG BYPASS STAGE 3' - 18 July 2007
accessdate=2007-07-26] with the State Government providing the remainder, giving a total of $380 million. [cite web
url=http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/newmedia.nsf/35504bc71d3adebcca256cfc0082c2b8/5a3ccad14b7eef29ca2572420080128f!OpenDocument
title=DoI Media Release - 'PREMIER INSPECTS WORKS ON SECTION TWO OF GEELONG BYPASS ' - December 12, 2006
accessdate=2007-07-26] Construction works for Section 1, between Corio and Bell Post Hill commenced in February 2006. Contracts for Section 2, between Hamlyn Heights and Fyansford, commenced in September 2006 and construction of Section 3, between Fyansford and Waurn Ponds, commenced in November 2007. All 3 stages are scheduled for completion in late 2009.

Pakenham bypass

The Pakenham Bypass was the final missing link of a continuous freeway from Melbourne to Gippsland in the East of Victoria (excluding the single sets of traffic lights in the small rural towns of Yarragon and Trafalgar). Federal and State Governments jointly funded construction of the bypass at a cost of $242 million which commenced in April 2005 and was completed on December 1 2007. [cite web
url=http://www.abigroup.com.au/art-template-project.asp?CID=76&AID=426
title=Abigroup - Pakenham Bypass
accessdate=2007-07-26] The 24km freeway which runs from Beaconsfield to Nar Nar Goon bypasses the townships of Pakenham and Officer and provides an important link between Gippsland and Melbourne. [cite web
url=http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/newmedia.nsf/bc348d5912436a9cca256cfc0082d800/996d8371a5ddab67ca257058000e5761!OpenDocument
title=DoI media release - 'COMMUNITY CELEBRATES AS FIRST SOD TURNED ON THE PAKENHAM BYPASS' - August 5, 2005
accessdate=2007-07-26]

"Sources:"
* [http://www.starnewsgroup.com.au/story/52504 Bypass eases town traffic]
* [http://media-newswire.com/release_1058271.html Community celebrates the completion of the Pakenham bypass]
* [http://www.senews.com.au/story/52150 All go for a bypass]
* [http://www.theage.com.au/news/education-news/boom-times-ahead/2007/11/23/1195753313503.html Boom times ahead - The Age paper]
* [http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/RoadsAndProjects/RoadProjects/SouthEaternSuburbs/PakenhamBypassProject.htm Vicroads, Pakenham Bypass]

Future Upgrades

afety Improvements

Proposed safety improvements, Princes Freeway East - Nar Nar Goon to Longwarry North, to be funded by Auslink 2 (2009-2014) [http://www.doi.vic.gov.au/DOI/DOIElect.nsf/$UNIDS+for+Web+Display/CCC3CE556495361ACA2573A80015249F/$FILE/AusLink2_PrincesHighwayEastUpgrade.pdf] .

Traralgon Bypass

Planning for a bypass of Traralgon commenced in 2004 with public hearings being held on route options. [http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/RoadsAndProjects/RoadProjects/PlanningStudies/Princes+Highway+East+-+Traralgon+Bypass.htm Vicroads: Princes Highway East - Traralgon Bypass] ] It is expected that a bypass will not be needed for many years, as the volume of bypassable traffic on the Princes Highway in Traralgon is relatively low at present, but planning will ensure route will be available in the future.

Princes Hwy East

Proposed duplication of the Princes Hwy - Traralgon to Sale, to be funded by Auslink 2 (2009-2014) [http://www.doi.vic.gov.au/DOI/DOIElect.nsf/$UNIDS+for+Web+Display/E5B1C205CAB58751CA2573A800151EE7/$FILE/AusLink2_PrincesHighwayEast.pdf] .

Princes Hwy West

Proposed duplication of the Princes Hwy - Waurn Ponds to Colac, to be funded by Auslink 2 (2009-2014) [http://www.doi.vic.gov.au/DOI/DOIElect.nsf/$UNIDS+for+Web+Display/755DE642745498FDCA2573A80015A4BF/$FILE/AusLink2_PrincesHighwayWestDup.pdf] .

ee also

*Freeways in Australia
*Freeways in Victoria

References

External links

* [http://mrv.ozroads.com.au/southwest/M1princes/M1princeswest.htm Princes Freeway West at Main Roads Victoria]