Main North Road
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2013) |
Main North Road | |
|---|---|
| Looking south at Main North Road's southern (city) end. According to signage, this section is not a part of the National Highway. | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Road |
| Length | 354 km (220 mi) |
| Route number(s) |
|
| Former route number |
|
| Major junctions | |
| North end |  Princes Highway, Stirling North near Port Augusta, South Australia |
| |
| South end |  Robe Terrace North Adelaide, South Australia |
| Location(s) | |
| Major suburbs | Wilmington, Gladstone, Clare, Giles Corner, Gawler, Elizabeth |
The Main North Road is the major north-south arterial route north of the city of Adelaide, South Australia.[1] In 2011, the section of road from Gawler to Wilmington was renamed Horrocks Highway.
It branches out from O'Connell Street (North Adelaide ) and passes through the Adelaide Parklands and the suburbs of Thorngate, Medindie, Medindie Gardens, Nailsworth, Prospect, Sefton Park, Blair Athol and Enfield before reaching the major intersection at Gepps Cross. Here the road forks, with the Port Wakefield Road (A1 - National Highway 1) continuing to the north, and the Main North Road turning NE and continuing as the A52.
It continues through the outer northern suburbs of Salisbury and Elizabeth to Gawler where the Sturt Highway branches off to the east. As the Main North Road/Horrocks Highway continues northward to the Clare Valley, the Barrier Highway branches northeast towards Burra. Beyond Clare, the Main North Road passes through the Southern Flinders Ranges to Wilmington at the eastern side of Horrocks Pass. Main North Road turns North West to Stirling North where it meets the Augusta Highway just outside Port Augusta, and Horrocks Highway continues northwards to Quorn.[2]
Commuter route
In the metropolitan area, the road is a major commuter route to the central business district in the Adelaide city centre.
The portion of Main North Road between the city centre and Mawson Lakes is a 15-minute public transport 'Go Zone', with the maximum wait for a bus being 15 minutes during peak times (7:30 am – 6:30 pm weekdays) and 30 minutes on weekends and evenings.[3] Bus routes via Main North Rd generally begin with the prefix "22x". The bus service is provided by SouthLink for Adelaide Metro.
Horrocks Highway
Main North Road from Gawler to Wilmington was renamed to the Horrocks Highway in 2011 to honour John Horrocks, an early explorer and pioneer in the region.[4] However while Main North Road turns west in Wilmington through Horrocks Pass to join the Augusta Highway as route B56, route B82 carries the name Horrocks Highway north to Quorn.[5]
Route numbers
From North Adelaide, the route numbers used along the road are:
A1 to Gepps Cross, where it becomes National Highway A1 (part of the national Highway 1) and continues as Port Wakefield Road to Perth
A52 to Gawler, where it becomes National Highway A20 Gawler Bypass Road and Sturt Highway to Sydney. (At the end of the Northern Expressway National Highway M20)
A32 to Giles Corner where it continues as the Barrier Highway to Broken Hill
B82 through the Clare Valley and beyond to Wilmington.
B56 to Stirling North, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) south-east of Port Augusta.
In late 2010 when the Northern Expressway was completed, National Highway A20 was diverted to the new road as National Highway M20. Main North Road and the southern section of the Gawler Bypass Road were then designated as State Route A52.
See also
- Highways in Australia
- List of highways in South Australia
- Highway 1 (Australia)
- Highway 1 (South Australia)
References
- ^ 2003 Adelaide Street Directory, 41st Edition. UBD (A Division of Universal Press Pty Ltd). 2003. ISBN 0-7319-1441-4.
- ^ "Mid North" (PDF) (Map). Rural road maps (PDF). Naming of State Rural Roads. Government of South Australia. 16 December 2013. Rack Plan 869. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
{{cite map}}: Unknown parameter|mapurl=ignored (|map-url=suggested) (help) - ^ "FAQs: What is a Go Zone?". AdelaideMetro.com.au. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- ^ "Highways renamed" (PDF). The Flinders News. Rural Press. 31 August 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ "Highway One gets a change of name". Plains Producer. 19 August 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
