M2 Hills Motorway
Length	21 km
Direction	East–west
Start	Epping Rd, North Ryde
Primary destinations	Inner western Sydney suburbs
End	Westlink M7/Seven Hills
Construction dates	1993 - 26 May 1997
Major junctions	Metroad 2, Metroad 3, Metroad 6, Metroad 7, Westlink M7
Owner	Transurban Limited
Operator	Hills Motorway Limited

The M2 Hills Motorway (also known as the Hills M2 Motorway, M2 Motorway or simply M2) is a motorway in north-western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. North Ryde is a Suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The United Kingdom Road Network is an extensive network of routes connecting its settlements The network is of varied quality and capacity Westlink M7 - formerly Western Sydney Orbital - is one of Sydney Australia 's urban motorways and a part of Metroad 7 and the Sydney Orbital Network Events 451 - The Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sassanid Empire takes place Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Metroad 2 is a Metroad in Sydney New South Wales, Australia. It links Windsor to Artarmon Metroad 3 is a Metroad in Sydney New South Wales Australia. It follows what was previously State Route 33 from Metroad 10 in Mona Vale The Metroad 6 is a Metroad in Sydney, Australia. It travels from the Metroad 1 at Princes Highway Heathcote to Pennant Hills Road/Pacific History The original western Sydney Bypass was Ring Road 5 which busiest section ( Pennant Hills Road and Woodville Rd is between Pacific Highway and Hume Highway Westlink M7 - formerly Western Sydney Orbital - is one of Sydney Australia 's urban motorways and a part of Metroad 7 and the Sydney Orbital Network Transurban is an international Toll road developer and manager with interests in Australia and North America Motorway is a term for both a type of Road and a classification or designation Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. It forms part of Sydney Metroad 2 and the 110 km Sydney Orbital Network. Metroad 2 is a Metroad in Sydney New South Wales, Australia. It links Windsor to Artarmon The Sydney Orbital Network is a 110 kilometre Motorway standard ring-road or orbital around the city of Sydney, the capital of New South Wales West of Pennant Hills Road, the M2 is also part of the National Highway. Pennant Hills Road is a major highway located in Sydney, New South Wales. The National Highway (now part of the AusLink National Network) is a system of Roads connecting all the States and Territories of Australia

Contents 1 History 2 Route 2.1 Exit list 3 Future 4 Toll payments 4.1 Full electronic tolling 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

History

Previously, Sydney's western suburbs were poorly served. Greater Western Sydney, Western Sydney and the Western Suburbs are general terms which are used to describe the western region of the metropolitan area of Sydney Traffic passed through Parramatta and to the city centre via Victoria Road and Western Freeway. Parramatta (ˈpærɑːmætɑː is a suburb in the west of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Although Parramatta was completely bypassed in the 1986, peak hour traffic still clogs up Victoria Road and all western approaches to Sydney.

The M2 Hills Motorway was developed to connect Old Windsor Road, Seven Hills to Epping Road, North Ryde, and thus bypass the busy inner western suburbs. Seven Hills is a Suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Epping Road is an important arterial road in suburban Sydney. North Ryde is a Suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The Inner West is a general term which is used to describe the metropolitan area directly to the west of the Sydney central business district in Sydney, New South In turn, Epping Road connects with Gore Hill Freeway at Artarmon which leads to the Harbour Bridge and the CBD. Artarmon is a Suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. } The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a Steel arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail vehicular and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business The Sydney Central business district (CBD and also referred to as the City) is the main commercial centre of Sydney, the capital of New

Historically, however, the M2 Motorway was known as the F2 Freeway (or North West Freeway) before its construction. The North West Freeway was a planned freeway route in Sydney New South Wales, Australia, intended to link the Sydney CBD to its north-western suburbs and ultimately As part of the integrated freeway plans drawn up for Sydney in 1942, the F2 was originally planned to link to the Gladesville Bridge and then on to Anzac Bridge via a new set of elevated freeways behind Drummoyne, the land for which was sold by the Wran Labor Government in 1988. Gladesville Bridge is an Arch bridge in Gladesville that spans the Parramatta River, west of central Sydney, Australia. The ANZAC Bridge or Anzac Bridge (both forms are used by the Roads and Traffic Authority) formerly known as the Glebe Island Bridge, is a large This explains the freeway-style grade of road from Gladesville Bridge to Hunters Hill, and the green belt north up to the seemingly arbitrary city-end of the M2 (The Gore Hill Freeway and Lane Cove Tunnel were not parts of this original plan, and the "F1" Warringah Freeway was designed to be a link to the Northern Beaches, via Roseville Bridge, and not to the Hills district). Evidence of the F2's original alignment can be found on old street directories, where the Western Distributor (which connects Anzac Bridge to the city) is labelled 'North-West Freeway'.

The intersection of Epping and Pittwater Road was once destined to be a major junction of part of "Sydney's Missing Roads" until the cancellation of the North Western and Lane Cove Valley Expressways in 1977. [1]

The M2 Hills Motorway is a privately funded capital works. The NSW Government entered into an agreement with Hills Motorway Limited to build, own, operate and, ultimately, transfer the M2 back to the Government at the end of a 45 year term.

The M2 Hills Motorway pioneered the use of electronic tolling in Australia when it opened on 26 May 1997. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Events 451 - The Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sassanid Empire takes place Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar In April 2007, Transurban announced that from 1 December 2007 the M2 Hills motorway will be fully cashless with no toll booths. Events 800 - Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. [2]. However, as at 29 February 2008, the M2 has not yet become cashless and no further details or revised timetable for the plan had been announced.

In April 2007, a third traffic lane heading westbound became operational between the Lane Cove Road and Beecroft Road interchanges by utilising the existing cycling/breakdown lane and lane remarking works. There has been criticisms from cyclists who are forced to cycle via alternative routes as a result of the loss of the lane, and from motorists who have said that the addition of a third lane will induce more traffic and shift the bottleneck further down the motorway as a result of assisting and maintaining free-flowing traffic from the Lane Cove Tunnel, which is now directly connected with the M2 motorway. A speed camera enforcing the 70km/h limit was also introduced on the westbound carriageway just before the Epping/Norfolk Road tunnel.

The Lane Cove Tunnel which opened on Sunday 25 March 2007, which links-up to the M2 at Lane Cove and carries about 50,000 vehicles per day on the Sydney Orbital Network also the Westlink M7, which opened on 16 December 2005 links the M2 Hills Motorway (at Seven Hills) to the M5 South Western Motorway at Prestons. The Lane Cove Tunnel is a AU$11 billion 36km twin tunnel Tollway in Sydney Australia connecting the M2 Motorway at North Ryde with the Gore Events 1199 - Richard I is wounded by a crossbow bolt while fighting France which leads to his death on April 6. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. For the local government area, see Municipality of Lane Cove. The Sydney Orbital Network is a 110 kilometre Motorway standard ring-road or orbital around the city of Sydney, the capital of New South Wales Westlink M7 - formerly Western Sydney Orbital - is one of Sydney Australia 's urban motorways and a part of Metroad 7 and the Sydney Orbital Network Events 755 - An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Seven Hills is a Suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The M5 South Western Motorway (also known as the M5 South West Motorway, M5 Motorway or simply M5) is a Motorway in south-western Sydney Prestons is a Suburb of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia.

Route

The M2 Hills Motorway connects directly with the Lane Cove Tunnel at the Lane Cove River in North Ryde and heads North West through Macquarie Park to Epping, then West through Beecroft, Carlingford then South West through Baulkham Hills and Winston Hills onto the Westlink M7 motorway at Seven Hills. The Lane Cove River is a tributary of the Parramatta River and its lower reaches form an arm of Sydney Harbour, Australia. North Ryde is a Suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Macquarie Park is a Suburb in northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Epping is a Suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Beecroft is a Suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Carlingford is a Suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Baulkham Hills is a Suburb in the north-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Winston Hills is a Suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Seven Hills is a Suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.

Exit list

Distance approximate	Westbound exit	Eastbound exit
continuation of Lane Cove Tunnel
1km	no exit	DELHI ROAD Chatswood
2km	no exit	LANE COVE ROAD Pymble Ryde
4km	no exit	CHRISTIE ROAD Macquarie University
7km	BEECROFT ROAD Epping Beecroft	no exit
11km	PENNANT HILLS ROAD Parramatta Pennant Hills Castle Hill	PENNANT HILLS ROAD Parramatta Pennant Hills Castle Hill
16km	WINDSOR ROAD Parramatta Baulkham Hills	no exit
continues as Westlink M7

Future

A freeway standard Sydney Bypass has been intended as part of the National Highway system for decades. The Lane Cove Tunnel is a AU$11 billion 36km twin tunnel Tollway in Sydney Australia connecting the M2 Motorway at North Ryde with the Gore Chatswood is a Suburb on the North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lane Cove Road is a major suburban arterial road in Sydney Australia. Pymble is a Suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Ryde is a Suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Macquarie University is an Australian public University located in Sydney. Epping is a Suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Beecroft is a Suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Pennant Hills Road is a major highway located in Sydney, New South Wales. Parramatta (ˈpærɑːmætɑː is a suburb in the west of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Pennant Hills is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Castle Hill is a Suburb in the north-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Pennant Hills Road is a major highway located in Sydney, New South Wales. Parramatta (ˈpærɑːmætɑː is a suburb in the west of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Pennant Hills is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Castle Hill is a Suburb in the north-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Parramatta (ˈpærɑːmætɑː is a suburb in the west of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Baulkham Hills is a Suburb in the north-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Westlink M7 - formerly Western Sydney Orbital - is one of Sydney Australia 's urban motorways and a part of Metroad 7 and the Sydney Orbital Network There have been various forms of Sydney Bypass for decades Some have taken the form of local suburban roads which have gradually become more and more congested until they were no longer The National Highway (now part of the AusLink National Network) is a system of Roads connecting all the States and Territories of Australia It is now planned that a new tunnelled route will be built to connect from the M2 Motorway near the Pennant Hills Road interchange to the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway (also known as the F3) north of Pearce's Corner, Wahroonga. Pennant Hills Road is a major highway located in Sydney, New South Wales. The Sydney-Newcastle Freeway is a stretch of Motorway linking Sydney to the Central Coast, Newcastle and Hunter regions of Wahroonga is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.

A report commissioned by Ryde Council has identified the lack of direct access to and from the M2 at Macquarie Park, and the potential to provide additional on and off-ramps at various intersections with the M2 to improve traffic access and relieve congestion. The City of Ryde is a Local Government Area in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on the Lower North Shore and Greater Western Macquarie Park is a Suburb in northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Most notably, the report identifies the opportunity of negotiation with Transurban and the RTA for construction of the missing east facing ramps at the Lane Cove Road intersection. Lane Cove Road is a major suburban arterial road in Sydney Australia. ^[1] The proposed east-bound on-ramp at the Lane Cove Road intersection would allow city-bound traffic from the Pymble area to avoid heavy congestion and the complicated movement of joining Epping Road and merging across four-lanes of traffic to enter the Lane Cove Tunnel. The Lane Cove Tunnel is a AU$11 billion 36km twin tunnel Tollway in Sydney Australia connecting the M2 Motorway at North Ryde with the Gore The "need for east-facing M2 ramps at Lane Cove Road intersection" was raised in the 2002 Director General's report on the then proposed Lane Cove Tunnel. The RTA did not respond to requests from Ryde City Council for the ramps to be added as part of the Lane Cove Tunnel Project. ^[2]

Toll payments

Tolls are charged on the basis of vehicles being either Class 2 (which includes most private vehicles) or Class 4 (vehicles with two axles and are over 2. 8 metres high, or vehicles with three axles which are over 2 metres high, or vehicles with more than three axles). Transurban has announced that the M2 Hills motorway will become fully electronic with no cash booths from December 2007 to assist with free-flowing traffic to and from adjacent fully electronic toll roads, such as the; Cross City Tunnel, Westlink M7, Lane Cove Tunnel and the Sydney Harbour Tunnel, with the end result being a non stop journey at minimum speeds of 70 km/h from the beginning of M7 right through to the Sydney Harbour Tunnel. The Cross City Tunnel is a 21km-long Tunnel located in Sydney, Australia. Westlink M7 - formerly Western Sydney Orbital - is one of Sydney Australia 's urban motorways and a part of Metroad 7 and the Sydney Orbital Network The Lane Cove Tunnel is a AU$11 billion 36km twin tunnel Tollway in Sydney Australia connecting the M2 Motorway at North Ryde with the Gore The Sydney Harbour Tunnel is a twin tube road tunnel in Sydney, Australia. The Sydney Harbour Tunnel is a twin tube road tunnel in Sydney, Australia.

The M2 supports the following toll methods (from April 2007):

• Cash payment (manual or automatic)
• Electronic tolling, otherwise known as an E-Tag. Electronic toll collection (ETC, an adaptation of military " Identification friend or foe " technology aims to eliminate the delay on Toll roads It is a At the main toll plaza at Macquarie Park, there are two dedicated express tolling lanes in each direction via a toll gantry.

The toll for the full journey for class 2 vehicles increased by 60 cents from $3. 80 to $4. 40 on 1 October 2006^[3] . Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

Full electronic tolling

In April 2007, Transurban announced they intended to migrate the M2 Hills Motorway to a cashless tolling system from December of the same year. The M2 was to become fully electronic with no cash booths. ^[4]. No further news has since been heard, the motorway remaining partially electronic tolling, partial cash tolling.

See also

• Metroad 2

References

External links

• The Hills Motorway
• Web Cam (M2-Ryde)
• F3 to Sydney Orbital route study
• RTA Hills M2 Motorway

Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

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