Southern Cross Drive New South Wales |
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An aerial view of the Southern Cross Drive in 2012 with the Botany Lakes and the Mill Steam astride the road. | |
Coordinates | |
Type | Motorway |
Length | 4.8 km (3.0 mi) |
Route number(s) |
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Former route number |
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North end |
Eastern Distributor / South Dowling Street Kensington, Sydney |
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South end |
General Holmes Drive Mascot, Sydney |
Major suburbs / towns | Eastlakes, Pagewood, Rosebery |
Highways in Australia National Highway • Freeways in Australia Highways in New South Wales |
The Southern Cross Drive is a 4.8 km (3 mi) dual carriage untolled motorway in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Part of the M1 and Sydney Orbital Network, the road, a freeway that opened in 1969, links the Eastern Distributor and South Dowling Street at Kensington in the north to General Holmes Drive at Sydney Airport in the south.
In August 2013 the Southern Cross Drive carried about 20,000 vehicles per day, both north and southbound.
Southern Cross Drive was originally built to provide access to the Sydney central business district for suburbs in Southern Sydney and South-eastern Sydney. Part of the road is built over reclaimed swampland including the Mill Pond, the Mill Steam, and Botany Dams, much of which has been reclaimed for golf courses including the Eastlakes Golf Club, The Lakes Golf Club and Bonnie Doon Golf Club.
With the development of many other motorways and freeways, Southern Cross Drive is part of the 110-kilometre (68 mi) Sydney Orbital Network, providing links without interruption between Greater Western Sydney, Eastern Suburbs, the North Shore and Hills District. It allows a continuous link from the M5 Motorway, General Holmes Drive, Westlink M7, Eastern Distributor, Cahill Expressway, Sydney Harbour Tunnel, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Warringah Freeway, M4 Motorway, Gore Hill Freeway, Lane Cove Tunnel and the M2 Hills Motorway.