Southern Expressway, Adelaide
Southern Expressway is an 18.5 km (11.5 mi) freeway through the southern suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia. It is the southern part of the North–South Corridor which extends the full length of Adelaide and is being built to urban freeway standard. It is designated part of route M2.
Southern Expressway | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates |
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| General information | |
| Type | Freeway |
| Length | 20.7 km (13 mi) |
| Opened | 17 December 1997 (completed on 9 September 2001, north carriageway in August 2014) |
| Route number(s) | M2 (1998–present) |
| Major junctions | |
| North end | South Road St Marys, Adelaide |
| Marion Road | |
| South end | Main South Road Old Noarlunga, Adelaide |
| Location(s) | |
| Region | Southern Adelaide |
| Major suburbs / towns | Tonsley, Darlington, Trott Park, Reynella, Noarlunga Downs |
| Highway system | |
The Southern Expressway was built as a corridor to relieve heavy traffic from the major arterial, Main South Road, in Adelaide's south. It was originally built as a reversible one way freeway, and was the world's longest after its completion in 2001. Between 2010 and 2014, it was expanded and it is now a regular 2-direction freeway.
Construction of the expressway included the Adelaide Southern Veloway for cyclists, which runs alongside it for 7 km, from Marion/Main South Road to the Reynella Interchange. South of the Reynella Interchange, the bikeway becomes a shared track for the remaining 12 km of the expressway. The expressway crosses over the Coast to Vines Rail Trail at both Panalatinga Road and at the expressway's southern end.