M2 Hills Motorway
Encyclopedia : M : M2 : M2H : M2 Hills Motorway
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| M2 Hills Motorway | |
| Length | 21 km |
| Direction | East–west |
| Start | Epping Rd, North Ryde |
| Primary destinations | Inner western Sydney suburbs |
| End | Westlink M7 |
| Construction dates | 1995 - 26 May 1997 |
| Major junctions | Metroad 2, Metroad 3, Metroad 6, Metroad 7, Westlink M7 |
| Owner | Transurban Limited |
| Operator | Hills Motorway Limited |
History and Development
Previously, Sydney's western suburbs were poorly served. Traffic passed through Parramatta and to the city centre via Victoria Road and Western Freeway. Although Parramatta was completely bypassed in the 1980s, peak hour traffic still clogs up Victoria Road and all western approaches to Sydney.The M2 Hills Motorway was developed to connect Old Windsor Road, Seven Hills to Epping Road, North Ryde, and thus bypass the busy inner western suburbs. In turn, Epping Road connects with Gore Hill Freeway at Artarmon which leads to the Harbour Bridge and the CBD.
Historically, however, the M2 Motorway was known as the F2 Freeway (or Northwest Freeway) before its construction. As part of the integrated freeway plans drawn up for Sydney in the 1950s, the F2 was originally planned to link to the Gladesville Bridge and then on to Anzac Bridge via a new set of elevated freeways behind Drummoyne, the land for which was sold by the Wran Labor Government in the 1980s. This explains the freeway-style grade of road from Gladesville Bridge to Hunters Hill, and the green belt north up to the seemingly arbitrary city-end of the M2. (The Gore Hill Freeway and Lane Cove Tunnel were not parts of this original plan, and the "F1" Warringah Freeway was designed to be a link to the Northern Beaches, via Roseville Bridge, and not to the Hills district). Evidence of the F2's original alignment can be found on old street directories, where the Western Distributor (which connects Anzac Bridge to the city) is labelled "North-West Freeway".
The M2 Hills Motorway is a privately funded capital works. The NSW Government entered into an agreement with Hills Motorway Limited to build, own, operate and, ultimately, transfer the M2 back to the Government at the end of a 45 year term.
The M2 Hills Motorway pioneered the use of electronic tolling in Australia when it opened on 26 May 1997.
The M2 Lane Cove Tunnel currently under construction (as at 2004) will bypass Epping Road, directly linking the Hills Motorway to the Gore Hill Freeway.
The Westlink M7, which opened on 16 December 2005 links the Hills Motorway (at Seven Hills) to the M5 South Western Motorway at Prestons.
Route of the M2
The M2 Hills Motorway starts on Epping Road at the Lane Cove River in North Ryde and heads North West through Macquarie Park to Epping, then West through West Pennant Hills, then South West through Baulkham Hills and Winston Hills to Abbott Road at Seven Hills.Toll Payments
The M2 supports the following toll methods:
- Cash payment (manual or automatic)
- Electronic tolling, otherwise known as an E-Tag
- * [EXPRESS Tag (Tollaust)]
- * [E-Toll] (RTA)
- * [E-Way (Interlink)]
- * [e-Tag (Transurban)]
See also
External links
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