Expressway - The Australian Highway Site: Road Photos & Information: SA: M1 / A1 / B1 / R1 (Mount Barker to Crafers)

Road Photos & Information: South Australia

Princes Highway, South Eastern Freeway, Glen Osmond Road, City Ring Route, Main North Road, Port Wakefield Road, Port Wakefield Highway, Augusta Highway and Eyre Highway (M1 / A1 / B1 / R1)

Mount Barker to Crafers

Statistics:

Length:: 1729 km (Mount Barker to Crafers: 19 km); Eastern: SA-VIC border, Glenburnie; Western: SA-WA border, Border Village
Miscellaneous:: Continues as Princes Hwy (A1) in Victoria and continues as Eyre Hwy (NH1) in Western Australia
Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:: Totness, Peachtown, Hahndorf, Verdun, Bridgewater, Mt George, Stirling and Crafers

Route Numbering:

Current: M1
Former: M1 1 1
Road Authority Internal Classification: ¹: 04500 (Tailem Bend to Glen Osmond)

General Information:

Highway 1 runs right around Australia, however with the introduction of alphanumeric routes, highway 1 takes on all different identifications depending on its importance and road design.

Princes Highway and South Eastern Freeway (M1, A1 and B1):

The Princes Highway links Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. The highway was first proclaimed from Sydney to Melbourne in the 1920s, it was later extended through western Victoria and eventually to Adelaide.

Towns along this section of Highway include Mount Gambier, Millicent, Kingston SE, Meningie, Tailem Bend, Murray Bridge, Nairne, Mount Barker and Adelaide. The route varies from 2 lane rural highway standard to full freeway standard and includes the Adelaide-Crafers Freeway which features twin-tube 600 metre tunnels, which descend the Mt Lofty Ranges by 430 metres over a distance of 10 kilometres. ²

History:

Princes Highway:: 1938: Mount Barker Rd renamed Princes Hwy.; 1950s: Duplication of highway between Glen Osmond and Crafers.; 1965: Construction commences on South Eastern Fwy from Verdun.; 1974: Hahndorf bypassed by South Eastern Fwy, implementation of NH1 route number and federal funding.; 1996: Construction commences on the 500 metre long Heysen Tunnels / Adelaide to Crafers Freeway, rerouting the Princes Hwy. The tunnels are named after artist Sir Hans Heysen.; 1998: National Highway 1 replaced by M1.; September 1998: Workers cut through the Crafers-bound tunnel. ³; 5 March 2000: Adelaide to Crafers Fwy opens to traffic, the largest road construction project in South Australia's history. ⁵ The tunnels were opened by the then Prime Minister John Howard. ³

Mount Barker to Crafers

NEW Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Bridgewater, December 2007.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Intersection Directional Signs:

Black ID sign and standard green ID sign on Mt Barker Rd (B33) at the South Eastern Fwy (M1) interchange at Stirling, December 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Crafers on Mt Lofty Summit Rd approaching South Eastern Fwy (M1) and Waverley Ridge Rd (B28), December 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Heysen Tunnels:

South Eastern Fwy (M1) as it enters the Heysen Tunnels at Crafers, December 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Crafers to Mount Barker

Mount Barker Road Overpass:

Looking southeast at Crafers. September 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Crafers approaching Mt Lofty Summit Rd & Waverley Ridge Rd. September 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Crafers approaching Mt Lofty Summit Rd & Waverley Ridge Rd. September 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Mt Lofty Summit Road & Waverley Ridge Road Interchange:

Looking southeast at Crafers. September 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Crafers on Waverley Ridge Rd (B28) approaching South Eastern Fwy (M1) and Mt Lofty Summit Rd, December 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Crafers approaching Mt Barker Rd (B33). September 2009. Note the exit countdown distance marker below the AD sign, not very common in Australia.

Image © Paul Rands

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Crafers approaching Mt Barker Rd (B33). September 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Crafers approaching Mt Barker Rd (B33). September 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

UPDATED Mt Barker Rd (B33) Interchange:

Looking southeast at Crafers. September 2009. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Michael Greenslade from December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Distance Sign:

RD sign after the Mt Barker Rd (B33) interchange at Crafers. September 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Old Mount Barker Road Overpass:

South Eastern Fwy (M1) as it passes under Old Mt Barker Rd in Crafers. September 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Old Carey Gully Road Overpass:

Interesting looking overpass that carries Old Carey Gully Rd over the South Eastern Fwy (M1) at Crafers. September 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Mt George for the interchange with Bridgewater Road and Bridgewater-Carey Gully Road. September 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Mt George for the interchange with Bridgewater Road and Bridgewater-Carey Gully Road. September 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Mt George for the interchange with Bridgewater Road and Bridgewater-Carey Gully Road. September 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Bridgewater Road and Bridgewater-Carey Gully Road Exit:

Eastbound at Mt George. Note the lack of arrow on the sign. September 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Freeway Green Advance Directional Sign:

Freeway green AD sign on the off ramp to Bridgewater-Carey Gully Rd, Mt George, December 2007.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Bridgewater Road and Bridgewater-Carey Gully Road Interchange:

Eastbound at Mt George. September 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Distance Sign:

RD sign at Mt George, September 2019. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Michael Greenslade from July 2014.

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Tourist and services orientated supplemental AD sign for the Mt Barker Rd / Onkaparinga Valley Rd (B34) interchange at Verdun. September 2009.

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign for the Mt Barker Rd / Onkaparinga Valley Rd (B34) interchange at Verdun. September 2009.

Intersection Directional Sign:

ID sign near the ramp to the Mt Barker Rd / Onkaparinga Valley Rd (B34) interchange at Verdun. September 2009.

Mount Barker Road & Onkaparinga Valley Road Interchange:

Southbound at Verdun. September 2009.

Distance Sign:

Reassurance directional sign at the Mt Barker Rd / Onkaparinga Valley Rd interchange at Verdun. September 2009.

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Totness for the Adelaide Road (B37) interchange. September 2019. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from September 2009.

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Totness for the Adelaide Road (B37) interchange. September 2009.

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Totness for the Adelaide Road (B37) interchange. September 2009.

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Tourist and services orientated supplemental AD sign at Totness for the Adelaide Road (B37) interchange. September 2009.

Freeway Green ID Sign:

Old freeway green intersection directional sign at the Adelaide Road (B37) interchange in Totness. September 2009.

Adelaide Road Interchange:

Looking northeast at Totness. September 2009.

Click or tap here for the continuation of M1 between Crafers and Adelaide
Click or tap here for the continuation of M1 between Murray Bridge and Mount Barker

¹ SA Government, Location SA Map Viewer.
² SA Government, Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, Completed projects, The Adelaide Crafers Highway Project.
³ RoadTechnology.com, Adelaide Crafers Highway.
⁴ Australian Government, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.