Sturt Highway

Infobox Australian Road
road_name = Sturt Highway
route_

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route_

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route_

photo =
caption =
length = 959
direction = West-East
start =
finish =
est =
through = Nuriootpa, Renmark, Mildura, Balranald, Hay, Narrandera, Wagga Wagga
route = "Gawler - NSW/Vic. Border:"
exits = "'

The Sturt Highway is an Australian highway in New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. It is part of the Auslink National network and is part of the main highway route between Sydney and Adelaide.

Route

The Sturt Highway commences at its junction with the Hume Highway near Gundagai south west of Sydney. The Highway heads more or less due west, passing through the northwest of Victoria before entering South Australia. It links the cities of Wagga Wagga and Mildura and the towns of Narrandera, Hay, Balranald, Renmark, Blanchetown, Berri, Nuriootpa and Gawler.

In Victoria and South Australia the highway carries the National Route number A20, while in New South Wales it is simple National Route 20. Route A20 continues from Gawler Bypass Road south towards Adelaide along Main North Road. cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Sturt Highway | work = | publisher = Ozroads | date = | url = http://www.ozroads.com.au/NSW/Highways/Sturt/sturt.htm | format = html | doi = | accessdate = 2008-05-25 ]

Upgrades

outh Australia

None of the Sturt Highway was constructed as dual-carriageway, however work is currently underway to upgrade the highway to freeway standards between the Gawler Bypass and Greenock in the Barossa Valley. The 1st stage of this project is now completed, with the opening of the 3 kilometer Daveyston-Greenock section. Duplication of the remaining 17 kilometers between Gawler and Daveyston is expected to be completed by the end of 2009. [cite web |url=http://www.dtei.sa.gov.au/infrastructure/sturt_highway_upgrade/content/news |title=Sturt Highway Upgrade |accessdate=2008-07-15 |publisher=Department of Transport, Energy and Infrastructure |work=TransportSA |date=2008-08-25]

The Sturt highway is also proposed to be extended by 22 km from Gawler southwest to meet Port Wakefield Road ("National Route A1") at Waterloo Corner as part of an AusLink/South Australian Government project to build a new dual-carriageway/freeway standard road to be known as the Northern Expressway. This will provide better access for road transport to Port Adelaide and the industrial areas west and northwest of the city. [cite web |url=http://www.dtei.sa.gov.au/infrastructure/northern_expressway |title=Northern Expressway |accessdate=2008-09-13 |publisher=Department of Transport, Energy and Infrastructure |work=TransportSA |date=2008-09-11] Once completed this will essentially make the Sturt Highway dual-carriageway/freeway standard between Adelaide and the Barossa Valley.

Other projects in South Australia include: a number of overtaking lanes have also been added in recent years to help make it safer with the high volume of traffic. [cite web |url=http://www.auslink.gov.au/projects/natnet/sa/snh010.aspx |title=Sturt Highway - Riverland passing lanes |accessdate=2006-06-11 |publisher=Department of Transport and Regional Services |work=AusLink |date=2005-07-20] Major 'S'-bend curves near Waikerie have been realigned, and further upgrades to the road are planned up to 2009. [cite web |url=http://www.auslink.gov.au/projects/ProjectDetails.aspx?Project_id=SA248 |title=Sturt Highway upgrading programme |accessdate=2006-06-11 |publisher=Department of Transport and Regional Services |work=AusLink |date=2006-05-15]

Victoria

There is also the proposed Mildura Truck Bypass, to be funded by Auslink 2. [ [http://www.doi.vic.gov.au/DOI/DOIElect.nsf/$UNIDS+for+Web+Display/6EC7CF1A0CF9A6F4CA2573A800158D34/$FILE/AusLink2_SturtHighwayMildura.pdf Mildura Truck Bypass - Auslink 2(PDF)] ]

Bridges

The Sturt Highway is named after Charles Sturt, who explored south western New South Wales, the Murrumbidgee and Murray rivers and also parts of the deserts of central Australia in the 1820s and 1830s. The highway crosses the Murrumbidgee at Balranald having followed that river for much of the route from the Hume Highway, and crosses the Murray a total of four times:
* At Mildura over a high arched bridge
* At Paringa (near Renmark) over a lift-span bridge which used to have a railway through the middle as well as the road carriageway on each side
* At Kingston over a high bridge from an embankment on the right bank to the cliffs on the left bank
* At Blanchetown over another high bridge to cliffs on the right bank.

Connections

As well as linking with the Hume Highway, the Sturt Highway connects with:
* the Olympic Highway at Wagga Wagga
* the Newell Highway at Narrandera
* the Kidman Way at Waddi
* the Cobb and Mid-Western Highway at Hay
* the Murray Valley Highway east of Euston
* the Silver City Highway at Buronga
* the Calder Highway at Mildura
* the Barossa Valley Highway at both Nuriootpa and Gawler.
* the Barrier Highway / Main North Road at Gawler

Towns on the Sturt Highway

New South Wales
*Forest Hill
*Gumly Gumly
*Wagga Wagga
*Narrandera
*Darlington Point
*Hay
*Balranald
*Euston
*Gol Gol
*Buronga

Victoria
*Mildura
*Merbein South
*Cullulleraine

South Australia
*Barmera
*Blanchetown
*Gawler
*Greenock
*Kingston
*Monash
*Nuriootpa
*Paringa
*Renmark
*Truro
*Waikerie
*Yamba

Gallery

ee also

*Highways in Australia
*Highways in Victoria
*List of highways in New South Wales
*List of highways in South Australia
*Main North Road
*Gawler Bypass Road

References