National Highway M1 & National Highway A1 - Princes Highway
Glen Osmond to Tailem Bend
Length: 93km (63km is the former South Eastern Freeway)
Eastern Terminus: Princes Hwy & Dukes Hwy, Tailem Bend (South Eastern Freeway ends at Swanport Bridge)
Western Terminus: Princes Hwy & Glen Osmond Rd & Portrush Rd & Cross Rd, Glen Osmond (South Eastern Freeway ends at Measdays Hill)
Continuation: Princes Highway continues south as the B1 to Mt Gambier. The National Highway joins route A8 and heads east to Bordertown
Route Overview:
The M1 and A1 section of the Princes Highway is the major route from Adelaide to the east, carrying the National Highway to Tailem Bend and on to the Dukes Highway. The route is almost entirely freeway, with only the single carriageway Swanport Bridge breaking the dual carriageway conditions. The Princes Highway name was recently applied to the entire section, including the former South Eastern Freeway and the Adelaide-Crafers Highway project.
For more information on the history and development of this route follow the links below.
Notable Events:
1938 - Princes Highway named
1952-61 - Glen Osmond to Crafers reconstruction and duplication
1955 - National Route 1 introduced
May 1969 - Crafers to Stirling
May 1972 - Stirling to Verdun
1974 - Proclaimed National Highway 1
Dec 1974 - Verdun to Mt Barker
Dec 1977 - Mt Barker to Callington
May 1979 - Callington to Murray Bridge (including Swanport Deviation)
and dual carriageways to Tailem Bend
1998 - NH1 replaced with National Highway M1 and National Highway A1
Mar 2000 - Adelaide-Crafers Highway opened to traffic and Princes Hwy name bestowed upon S.E. Freeway
Explore M1-Princes Hwy:
History and Development
Historic Photos
Princes Highway former alignments: Glen Osmond to Murray Bridge
Princes Highway former alignment: Tailem Bend
Remnants of National Highway 1 on South Eastern Freeway
Remnants of Alt-1 at Murray Bridge
Photos of M1/A1 Princes Highway (Adelaide-Tailem Bend) |
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Heading south on Portrush Road approaching the start of M1 - Princes Highway at Glen Osmond. Jan 2005. |
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Heading east on Cross Road approaching the start of M1 Princes Highway at Glen Osmond. Jan 2005. |
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Princes Highway heading northwest on its final legs before terminating at Glen Osmond. Jan 2005. |
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The first RD sign on Princes Highway at Glen Osmond. Jan 2005. |
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Looking east at Mt Osmond Road interchange. Jan 2005. |
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Variable message sign at The Devil's Elbow. This sign has the capability to change its message if needed when the Heysen Tunnels are closed for any reason. Traffic would then detour via the old Princes Highway (Mt Barker Road). Jan 2005. |
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Looking east into the Heysen Tunnels. Jan 2005. |
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Looking east where the old Princes Highway (Mt Barker Rd) rejoins the Princes Highway at Measdays Hill. Jan 2005. |
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Advance direction sign for Crafers Interchange and Stirling Interchange at Measdays Hill. Jan 2005. |
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Freeway green exit signage (possibly an original 1960s sign) at Stirling Interchange. Note: the sign should include a B33 shield. Jan 2005. |
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Newer exit signage westbound at Bridgewater Interchange. Jan 2005. |
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Heading west from Verdun Interchange (B34). Jan 2005. |
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Advance direction sign for Verdun Interchange (B34). Jan 2005. |
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Signage on the B34 at Verdun for the access ramp to the M1 Princes Highway. Jan 2005. |
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Freeway green ID sign at Mount Barker Interchange (B37). Jan 2005. |
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Very old black painted diagrammatic AD sign at Mount Barker Interchange. Jan 2005. |
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Looking east between Mount Barker and Callington. Jan 2005. |
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Eastbound AD sign for Callington Interchange. Jan 2005. |
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Signage on the Callington-Strathalbyn Rd at Callington Interchange. Jan 2005. |
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Heading east from Callington. Jan 2005. |
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Eastbound at the Monarto Interchange. Jan 2005. |
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Diagrammatic AD sign showing that Murray Bridge is bypassed by the M1. Jan 2005. |
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500m to the B55 (former Alt-1) exit at Whites Hill. Jan 2005. |
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Heading west from Whites Hill Interchange at Murray Bridge. Jan 2005. |
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Looking east to the Swanport Bridge across the Murray River, opened in May 1979. This is the end of the South Eastern Freeway, however, the dual carriageway resumes on the other side of the bridge and continues another 22km to the Dukes Hwy at Tailem Bend. Jan 2005. |
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Heading west at the Swanport Bridge and the beginning of the South Eastern Freeway. Jan 2005. |
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A view of Swanport Bridge from a lookout on the eastern side of the bridge. Jan 2005. |
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Diagrammatic sign showing the bypass of Murray Bridge, heading west at the eastern end of Murray Bridge. Jan 2005. |
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Heading east from Murray Bridge. Note the coverplate over a NH1 shield but no NH-A1 shield! Jan 2005. |
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Sign advising that there is 5km to the beginning of the South Eastern Freeway near the Monteith turnoff. Jan 2005. |
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Looking west to Tailem Bend. The sign shows the old highway route in Tailem Bend that passed by the Post Office and Railway Station. Jan 2005. |
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Sign marking the end of the National Highway A1 section at the Dukes Hwy, Tailem Bend. The Princes Hwy continues south as the B1 although that route marker is not shown on the sign. Jan 2005. |
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Princes Highway northbound approaching Dukes Hwy at Tailem Bend. This is the transition from B1 to National Highway A1. Jan 2005. |
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The first RD sign heading west from Dukes Hwy towards Tailem Bend. Jan 2005. |