NATIONAL HIGHWAY 1
Former Alignment at Peats Ridge

Looking east across Wisemans Ferry Rd between the tow interchanges, January 2004.

Lifespan: 1974-86 (12 years)

Length: 21km

Northern Terminus: F3 Sydney-Newcastle Freeway, Somersby Interchange

Southern Terminus: F3 Sydney-Newcastle Freeway, Calga Interchange

Route taken: Peats Ridge Rd (formerly known as Calga-Ourimbah Expressway)

RTA Internal Classification: Was State Highway 26 during NH1's time on this route. Was later decomissioned to Main Road 455 (regional road).

Focal Points: During NH1's time the focal points were Sydney & Newcastle. Now they are Calga, Peats Ridge, Central Mangrove, Newcastle.

Replaced by: State Route 36 (east of Central Mangrove), which was hardly signposted and later decomissioned in August 2004.

Route Overview:

Peats Ridge Road itself was constructed purposely by the DMR to take the National Highway 1 shield (then National Route 1) as the main route between Sydney & Newcastle. However, it was not given the NH1 shield until the arrival of federal funding via the National Highway system in 1974. Prior to this, the route was signposted as either 'Newcastle via Peats Ridge' or 'Sydney via Peats Ridge'.

Peats Ridge Rd carried the steadily increasing expressway traffic for 22 years (12 years as NH1) until the 7km shorter expressway route between Calga and Somersby opened to traffic. Some of the original route was retained, the 7km between Somersby and Ourimbah was duplicated and incorporated into the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway. National Highway 1 was removed from Peats Ridge Rd in December 1986, however signage remained along the expressway section well into 2004. State Route 36, which originally terminated at Peats Ridge Rd was extended east to meet the newly opened expressway in December 1986 however signage only appeared on the freeway itself. It seems no-one told Peats Ridge Rd that it was now SR36 LOL!!

Anywho, SR36 was decomissioned in August 2004 and around the same time, Gosford Council finally got their act together and removed the remaining NH1 shields from the expressway section, something which the RTA didnt even bother to do when they owned the road. Now, there are no AD's or RD's, just some badly placed ID signs which make safety, let alone navigation, quite difficult. I must say that the NH1 signs were much better for the road.

Construction Info:

Peats Ridge Rd was constructed by the DMR as part of the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway, planned in the 1950's. Extensive survey investiagtions determined that a route close to the Pacific Hwy would be most suitable, with the exception 'that an alternate route route departing a substantial distance from the existing route could be followed with advantage between Calga and Ourimbah'. And thus Peats Ridge Rd was born, this section being commenced first as it would provide the greatest relief to traffic, bypassing the winding Calga-Kariong section and acting as a bypass of Gosford for through traffic. An origin and destination survey of Pacific Hwy traffic indicated that at least half the traffic passing through Calga would use the new route.

A road already existed between Calga and Central Mangrove, built in the early 1930's by Gosford Council as a developmental road with funds from the DMR. It was decided to improve the grades and curves on this road to a 50mph (90km/h) design standard rather than build a parallel expressway initially. Between Central Mangrove and Ourimbah, an entirely new alignment was chosen and this was constructed to a 60mph (100km/h) design standard with no at-grade cross traffic. Interchanges (albeit badly designed ones) were provided at Wisemans Ferry Rd in two locations and a future interchange was planned at George Downes Dr when the expressway between Calga and Central Mangrove would be constructed. This expressway was also planned to be part of an improved link to the New England Hwy near Singleton via Wollombi, but the proposal was cancelled before 1974. A practicable route across the Mooney Mooney Creek & Gorge was found in 1965, leaving the Peats Ridge route redundant as a through route to Newcastle. Ultimately the route across Mooney mooney Creek came in a slightly steeper, more expesive form, also a decade later than expected, opening to traffic in December 1986.

Construction of Peats Ridge Rd itself was commenced in 1960 and opened to traffic in March 1964. The section between Somersby and Ourimbah that is now part of the F3 was duplicated in conjunction with the Kangy Angy-Doyalson stage and opened to traffic in December 1983.

Further Reading (on-site):

Pacific Hwy - Alternative route between Calga and Ourimbah (1960)
New route for traffic - Calga/Peats Ridge/Ourimbah (1964)

Historic Photos of Peats Ridge Rd construction
	1964 aerial view over what is now the Calga Interchange on the F3. Note the channelisation of the intersection, which was just beginning to be used across the state at the time. Scanned from Main Roads Journal.
	1964 aerial view over what is now the Ourimbah Interchange on the F3, Note the channelisation of the intersection and the orientation favouring Peats Ridge Rd. Scanned from Main Roads Journal.
	1963 aerial view over the western interchange with Wisemans Ferry Rd, Somersby still under construction. Scanned from Main Roads Journal.
	Looking west through the newly completed eastern interchange with Wisemans Ferry Rd in 1964. Scanned from Main Roads Journal.
	Looking west to the eastern interchange with Wisemans Ferry Road, showing original direction sign. Source: Kevin Noble, October 1965.
	View of traffic on the new expressway at Somersby, taken 1964. Scanned from Main Roads Journal.
	View of newly completed Peats Ridge Rd just south of Ourimbah, 1964. Scanned from Main Roads Journal.
	1963 view of the eastern interchange with Wisemans Ferry Rd, Somersby still under construction. Scanned from Main Roads Journal.
	Major earthwork construction between Somersby and Ourimbah in preparation for the F3, 1981. Scanned from Main Roads Journal.
	More earthworks showing a straight duplication of the stretch between Somersby and Ourimbah, 1981. Scanned from Main Roads Journal.
	Looking south over the climb to the Somersby ridge showing duplication taking place to convert State Highway 26 into the freeway during 1982. Photo scanned from Main Roads Journal.
	Again between Somersby and Ourimbah where the freeway took a new alignment with superior grades. Dog Trap Road assumed the Peats Ridge Rd alignment after opening of the freeway in Dec 1983. Photo taken 1981. Scanned from Main Roads Journal.

Abandoned section of Peats Ridge Rd near Somersby Interchange
	As part of the construction of the Somersby Interchange a section of State Highway 26 was abandoned near the Somersby Interchange. This section contains a short section of overgrown pavement and a bridge. Here is a pic of it from Dog Trap Rd, June 2003.
	View of the overgrown roadway, still with double yellow lines. Photo taken June 2003.
	View of the roadway again, this time looking north. Photo taken June 2003.
	Ben Johnson kindly provided his commentary on this photo showing where the abandoned underpass is.
	Ben Johnson also kindly provided his commentary on a Sydway map to show us where the abandoned bridge is.

National Highway 1 on Peats Ridge Rd (these have since been removed)
	Westbound AD sign for the western interchange with Wisemans Ferry Rd, Somersby. Note the painted NH1 shield without the word 'National' in it. This is the original 1970's style and shows just how old and well preserved these signs are. Photo taken December 2002.
	Eastbound AD sign for the western interchange. Note the 1970's style NH1 shield and the bad location. This sign is the only warning of a nearly 90 degree off ramp round the corner. It has since been removed, but not replaced making navigation quite impossible. Photo taken December 2002.
	Westbound ID signs for the western interchange. These signs have since been replaced with small, barely readable signs by Gosford Council, making navigation quite difficult. Photo taken December 2002.
	Eastbound ID signs for the western interchange. These signs have been replaced with an AD sign that provides absolutely no warning of the nearly 90 degree off ramp. In fact you cannot even read the legend on the signs until you pass the off ramp. Photo taken December 2002.
	Eastbound RD sign for the western interchange. This sign, and all other reassurance ones along the expressway sections, have been removed. Photo taken December 2002.
	Westbound RD sign for the western interchange. I find it interesting that Hornsby gets a mention this far north over Peats Ridge, Calga or Berowra which were all significant destinations at the time. Photo taken Dec 2002.
	Westbound AD sign for the eastern interchange. Note the painted 'Old Sydney Town' sub-sign, dating from before the tourist attraction was closed in early 2003. Photo taken December 2002.
	Westbound, very faded, AD sign for the eastern interchange. At this point the westtbound (southbound) traffic had an overtaking lane, explaining the split at this interchange. The overtaking lane has since been removed, along with this sign. Photo taken December 2002.
	Eastbound AD sign for the eastern interchange. Again note the 'Old Sydney Town' sub-sign. Photo taken December 2002.
	This time southbound on Wisemans Ferry Rd at the eastern interchange. This sign, and others not on the mainline expressway were removed a few years earlier. Photo taken December 1998.
	Westbound, very faded, ID signs at the eastern interchange. Photo taken December 2002.
	Southbound on Wisemans Ferry Rd at the eastern interchange. Sydney is now signposted via the Somersby Interchange and the F3, so these signs have since been removed. Photo taken December 1998.
	Westbound ID signs at the eastern interchange. Photo taken December 2002.
	Northbound Wisemans Ferry Rd at the eastern interchange. Photo taken December 1998.
	Northbound Wisemans Ferry Rd again at the eastern interchange. Photo taken December 1998.
	Eastbound RD sign at the eastern interchange. Photo taken December 2002.
	Westbound RD sign at the eastern interchange. Photo taken December 2002.
	N85km plate eastbound between the two interchanges. This sign has since been removed. Photo taken January 2004.
	N105km plate at Calga Interchange. I'm not sure if this sign is still there. Photo taken June 2003.
	N95km plate between Calga and Peats Ridge. This sign is still there. Photo taken June 2003.