Henry Lawson Drive

Henry Lawson Drive at Georges Hall

Henry Lawson Drive is a major 22.9 km sealed road, located in Sydney, New South Wales, which runs from the Hume Highway at Lansdowne to Forest Road at Peakhurst. It was named after one of Australia's foremost poets, Henry Lawson (1867–1922).

It is designated as Main Road 508 for administrative purposes. In 1964, on its completion, it was signposted as part of ring road 5, replaced by state route 55 in 1974. The maximum elevation of the road is 60.9 m AMSL and it is 1.65 m AMSL at its lowest point.

Other than at its eastern end from Alfords Point Road to Forest Road it is constructed as a single two-lane carriageway. The road has high congestion levels and Bankstown City Council has been trying to overcome this.

History

Henry Lawson Drive was conceived of as a scenic drive to follow the north bank of the Georges River. Most of it was constructed as an unemployment relief project during the 1930s, with some sections in Georges Hall, Milperra, East Hills and Picnic Point utilising pre-existing roads. In 1963, following the closure of the Morgans Creek landfill waste disposal site at the southern end of The River Road, Henry Lawson Drive was extended to Padstow Heights with the completion of the 53 metre long bridge over Little Salt Pan Creek. In September 1964 the final section was completed with the opening of the 183 metre long Salt Pan Creek Bridge, connecting it via what had formerly been Hymen Street to Forest Road in Peakhurst. In the 1975 the former T-junction with Forest Road at the eastern terminus was reconfigured so that the route from Henry Lawson Drive to Forest Road northbound became the through route.

Widening of the section from Alfords Point Road to Forest Road occurred incrementally, initially by reconfiguring pavement markings and construction of a westbound ovetaking lane. It was later widened to four lanes in places and then six lanes. This work was completed in conjunction with the duplication of the Salt Pan Creek Bridge.

See also

Australian Roads portal

References

• Henry Lawson Drive, New South Wales
• Calls to improve Henry Lawson Drive