Tullamarine Freeway

Tullamarine Freeway is a Melbourne freeway linking the city's international airport to the CBD.

History

Tullamarine Freeway is the oldest freeway in Melbourne, possibly Australia. It was originally constructed in 1968-1970. From the airport, it replaces Lancefield Rd.(now Melrose Dr), Tullamarine and parts of Bulla Rd.,Essendon. A spur was constructed to link with Calder Highway, Airport West. From Essendon, a new section heading east to Pascoe Vale and then south along the Moonee Ponds Creek until Mt Alexander Rd, Flemington was constructed. This section replaces Mt Alexander Rd as the main throughfare to the city.

The freeway was initially designated F-81 the whole stretch from Tullamarine to Flemington. The short Calder Highway link was designated Calder Freeway (F-90).

With its completion, citybound heavy vehicles from Hume Highway are diverted here via Pascoe Vale Rd. In the 1990s with the completion of Western Ring Road, traffic increased tremendously. It was only relieved by the completion of CityLink which widened the freeway to 8-lanes and extends it to the West Gate Freeway. The improved sections are now tolled.

Interchanges

Currently the Tullamarine Freeway is signed as Metro 43 from Airport to Essendon and continue onwards as CityLink. The interchanges are

• Sunbury Rd (C743) near the airport
• Mickleham Rd (Metro 39), Gladstone Park
• Western Ring Road (M80), Gladstone Park
• Bulla Rd (Metro 37), Essendon
• Calder Freeway (M79), Essendon
• Pascoe Vale Rd (Metro 35)/ Bell St (Metro 40), Pascoe Vale

The interchanges for the CityLink section are

• Moreland Rd, Coburg
• Brunswick Rd, Brunswick
• Mt. Alexander Rd / Racecourse Rd, Flemington
• Dynon Rd, Kensington
• Docklands Highway , Docklands
• West Gate Freeway (M1), Port Melbourne

See also List of Melbourne freeways