Road Photos & Information: Australian Capital Territory: Northbourne Avenue, Vernon Circle, Commonwealth Avenue, State Circle, Capital Circle, Canberra Avenue, Hume Place and Monaro Highway (National Route 23)

Road Photos & Information: Australian Capital Territory

Northbourne Avenue, Vernon Circle, Commonwealth Avenue, State Circle, Capital Circle, Canberra Avenue, Hume Place and Monaro Highway (National Route 23) - Downer to Acton

Statistics:

Length: 45 km (Downer to Acton: 6 km)
Northern Terminus: Corner of Barton Highway (NH25), and Federal Highway (NH23) at Lyneham
Southern Terminus: NSW Border at Williamsdale
Miscellaneous: Monaro Highway continues as B23 in New South Wales
Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route: Downer, Dickson, Lyneham, Braddon, Turner, Civic (Canberra) and Acton

Route Numbering:

Current:
Forthcoming Alphanumeric: A23

General Information:

In the ACT, NR23 serves as the main connector route through suburban Canberra.

The route varies from multi-laned dual carriageway in the urban areas of North and South Canberra to rural highway further south of the city. It passes directly past Australia's Parliament House and other significant areas containing offices for the administration of the country. It also passes through suburban areas, industrial areas at Fyshwick and Hume, plus farming zones and bushland.

Between the spans on the southern side of the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge over Lake Burley Griffin, there's two granite stones from the 1817 Waterloo Bridge across the River Thames in London. These were presented to Australia after the 1817 Waterloo Bridge was demolished in the 1940s and replaced by a modern structure. A plaque reads, in part, "Stones such as these from the bridge were presented to Australia and other parts of the British world to further historic links in the British Commonwealth of Nations".

History:

Northbourne Avenue:

1911: Planning of Northbourne Avenue by Walter Burley Griffin. 1

20 September 1928: Northbourne Avenue name gazetted. 2

1937: Mercury vapour street lights installed on Northbourne Avenue. 3

1946: Bitumous seal on Northbourne Avenue extended to the junction with Gould Street, Turner. 4

October 1951: One way directional signs installed on divided section of Northbourne Avenue between Civic and Haig Park. 5

1957: Duplication of Northbourne Avenue to Barton Highway intersection at Lyneham. 6

October 1959: Installation of brighter street lights on Northboune Avenue, Civic. 7

1960: Work started to extend Northbourne Avenue to City Hill, and the construction of Vernon Circle. 8

August 1962: Northbourne Avenue dual carriageways marked with 2 lanes in each direction. 9

1964: Widening of Northbourne Avenue between Cooyong St and London Cct, Civic. 10

24 August 1965: Installation begins of traffic lights on the intersections of Northbourne Avenue with London Circuit and also Alinga Street and Cooyong Street. 11

23 October 1965: Canberra's first traffic lights came into operation. The lights were installed at the intersection of London Circuit and Northbourne Avenue and Cooyong Street and Alinga Street. In addition to the lights, give-way signs have were installed on the Northbourne Avenue median strip at the Alinga Street crossing to ensure a free flow of traffic on both carriageways of Northbourne Avenue. 12

1965: Upgrade of street lights almost the entire length of Northbourne Avenue from London Circuit north to Antill Street. 13

April 1966: Closure of median strip as part of widening works to Northbourne Avenue at the Greenway Street junction. 14

September 1966: Completion of widening of Northbourne Avenue north of Civic. 15

November 1966: Overhead directional sign gantry tested on Northbourne Avenue approaching Macarthur and Wakefield Avenues. The test was conducted by ANU students in conjuction with NCDC and 3M. The test was deemed unsuccessful. 16

9 December 1968: Traffic lights at the corner of Northbourne Avenue and Wakefield Avenue switched on. 17

6 May 1969: Southbound lanes of Northbourne Avenue extension and Vernon Circle opened to traffic. 18

1969: Work commenced on widening Northbourne Avenue to a six-lane highway from Civic to Dickson. 19

March 1970: Traffic lights at the corner of Northborne Av and London Cct upgraded. 20

22 July 1974: The Department of the Capital Territory will modified the traffic lights at the intersection of Northbourne Avenue, Antill Street and the Barton Highway by installing arrow signals. 21

26 July 1974: Arrow signals switched on for traffic turning into Northbourne Avenue from the Barton Highway and Antill Street, bringing the lights into line with most others on Northbourne Avenue. 22

Vernon Circle:

1911: Planning of Vernon Circle by Walter Burley Griffin. 1

21 July 1960: Vernon Circle name gazetted, named after Walter Liberty Vernon, former New South Wales Government architect, Member of Advisory Board on Federal Capital site in 1909. 23

1960: Work started to extend Northbourne Avenue to City Hill, and the construction of Vernon Circle. 24

6 May 1969: Southbound lanes of Northbourne Avenue extension and Vernon Circle opened to traffic. 25

1 October 1960: Vernon Circle fully opened to traffic. 26

Commonwealth Avenue:

1911: Planning of Commonwealth Avenue by Walter Burley Griffin. 1

1916: The first Commonwealth Avenue Bridge completed. 27

1922: The first Commonwealth Avenue Bridge was damaged by flood. 27

1923: The second Commonwealth Avenue Bridge built, using three NSW 'Leychester' type trusses. 27 The second bridge was built using materials that had been intended for a bridge near Kings Avenue but not on the current Kings Avenue alignment. 28

August 1923: Completion of second Commonwealth Avenue bridge, with work started on bridge approaches. 29

1925: The second Commonwealth Avenue Bridge damaged by flood. 27

1927: The completion of the third Commonwealth Avenue Bridge was a modification of the previous bridge. It was by a metre and had an added fourth truss. 26

May 1927: The third Commonwealth Avenue Bridge opened to traffic. 28

April 1929: Bitumen seal laid on the section of Commonwealth Avenue, between the bridge and the hexagon (London Circuit). 30

October 1929: Concrete laid on Commonwealth Avenue for the full length of the two-way road, with the exception of the bitumen strip on the western side. 31

1937: Mercury vapour street lights installed on Commonwealth Avenue. 3

June 1945: Work commenced on repaiting the smaller of the two Commonwealth Avenue bridges. The first stage included the construction of new concrete support pylons, after which a steel support was erected. Concrete decking replaced the old wood surface. 32 Work also included widening and the addition of footpaths on each side of the bridge. 33

3 April 1946: Reopening of the smaller (Billabong Bridge) Commonwealth Avenue bridge after refurbishment works. 34

April 1947: Completion of refurbishment work on the smaller (Billabong Bridge) Commonwealth Avenue bridge. Delays occured due to material shortages, with the bridge reopening to traffic with temporary wooden railings in 1946. These were replaced with steel rails in the 1947 work. 35

July 1958: The Department of Works covered the surface of Commonwealth Avenue over Billabong Bridge with bitumen and grit, designed to minimise skidding of vehicles by providing a rough, non-skid surface. 36

March 1960: Traffic flow improvements to the intersection of State Circle and Commonwealth Avenue carried out. Work included the construction of a special left turning lane from State Circle into Commonwealth Avenue for northbound traffic. The carriageway of State Circle would be widened to provide additional lanes for both through and turning traffic. 37

May 1961: Work begins on the 4th and current Commonwealth Avenue bridge. 38

13 November 1961: Dismantling began on the Billabong Bridge carrying Commonwealth Avenue over the Molonglo River, for reuse as a temporary structure during the construction of the 4th and current Commonwealth Avenue bridge. 39

28 March 1962: The first section of decking on the 4th and current Commonwealth Avenue bridge placed. 40

8 March 1963: The old timber truss bridge across Molonglo River used for the last time. The bridge, which coped with Canberra traffic for 41 years, was replaced immediately by a diversion road and later by the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge. The truss bridge was dismantled to enable the construction of the approach embankment for the new bridge. 41

6 May 1963: Demolition of old Commonwealth Avenue bridge commenced. 42

10 September 1963: Eastern side of Commonwealth Avenue bridge opened to traffic at 6 am. This carried traffic in borth directions to allow completion of the western side. 43

1 November 1963: Western side of Commonwealth Avenue bridge opened to traffic. 44

November 1963: The fourth Commonwealth Avenue Bridge opened to traffic. 45

1963: The fourth and current high-level concrete Commonwealth Avenue Bridge completed. 26

January 1965: Installation of emergency help phones on Commonwealth Avenue bridge. 46

1965: Grade separated interchange constructed at southern end of Commonwealth Avenue bridge. 47

1 October 1965: Grade separated interchange at southern end of Commonwealth Avenue bridge opened to traffic. The interchange was designed to relieve traffic congestion from vehicles turning into Commonwealth Avenue from the Parliamentary Triangle. 48

5 June 1969: Northbound bridge over Parkes Way opened to traffic. 49

October 1969: Installation of 12 160 feet high street lights at the Commonwealth Avenue and Parkes Way interchange. 50

August 1972: Permanent traffic counters using similar pads to traffic lights installed just north of Commonwealth Avenue bridge. 51

4 June 1982: Commonwealth Avenue name gazetted, 52

Downer to Acton		Acton to Downer
Preview:	Description:	Preview:	Description:
	Southbound at Downer: Looking towards Civic from the intersection with the Barton Highway at Downer, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Approaching Albert Street: Northbound near Albert Street at Acton,just after Commonwealth Avenue Bridge, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Tourist Drive 4 Trailblazer: Old shield indicating that NR23 was duplexed with TD4 along this section, southbound at Downer, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Black Diagrammatic Sign: Northbound black AD sign from the 1970s on Commonwealth Avenue, outside the western section of Commonwealth Park at Acton, July 2006. Note the unusual lack of white border around the edge of the sign. Also note the obsolete hospital legend - Royal Canberra Hospital, which this is indicating, closed some years ago. Image © Paul Rands
	NR23 Trailblazer: NR23 trailbazer attached to lamp post at Downer, near Swinden Street. January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Parkes Way Interchange: Northbound through the interchange with Parkes Way (the ramps are named Commonwealth Place) at Acton, October 2013. Click here for a photo of this location from December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Swinden Street Junction: Corner of Northbourne Av & Swinden St Downer. January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Parkes Way Interchange: Northbound through the interchange with Parkes Way (the ramps are named Commonwealth Place) at Acton, October 2013. Click here for a photo of this junction from July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: Southbound AD sign approaching Antill & Mouat Streets at Downer, January 2010. Click here for a photo of this sign in July 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Parkes Way and London Circuit Interchange: Northbound through the interchange with Parkes Way and London Cct (the ramps are named Commonwealth Place) at Acton, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Antill & Mouat Streets: Southbound at the junction with Antill Street Dickson and Mouat Street at Downer. Mouat Street used to be the Barton Highway until it was rerouted in the 1960s. January 2010. Click here for a photo of this area from July 2006. Image © Paul Rands		London Circuit Exit: Commonwealth Avenue at the ramp to London Circuit, and also approaching Vernon Circle and City Hill in Civic. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental AD Sign: Supplemnental advance directional sign approaching the Antill Street and Mouat St junction at Downer. January 2010, Image © Paul Rands		Road Safety Sign: Road safety sign on Vernon Circle in Civic. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Entering Dickson: Northbourne Av as it enters Dickson, at the Antill St / Mouat St intersection. January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign where Vernon Circle transitions into Nortbourne Avenue, approaching London Circuit in Civic. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Tourist Drive 4 Trailblazer: Old shield indicating that NR23 was duplexed with TD4 along this section, southbound at Dickson, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		London Circuit Intersection: Northbound at the London Cct intersection in Civic. The intersection is the location of the first ever traffic signals to ever be installed in the ACT. December 1996. Since this image was taken, the signals have been updated to LED models. Image © Paul Rands
	Southbound at Dickson: AD sign for the tourist information centre at Dickson. January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Trailblazer: NR23 trailblazer outside the Jolimont Centre in Civic at the junction with Rudd and Bunda Streets. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Murdoch & Morphett Street Junction: Northbourne Avenue approaching Murdoch and Morphett Streets at Dickson. January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Northbourne Avenue approaching Cooyong Street and Barry Drive in Civic. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Southbound at Dickson: Looking south approaching the tourist information centre at Dickson. January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign for Cooyong Street in Civic. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: Southbound AD sign at Dickson as you approach Macarthur Avenue & Wakefield Avenue, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Directional Sign: AD sign acting as an ID sign on Northbourne Avenue facing Cooyong Street at the junction with Barry Drive. January 2010. Image © Paul Rands
	Wakefield & Macarthur Avenue Intersection: Southbound through the Wakefield and Macarthur Avenue junction at Dickson, January 2010. Click here for a photo of this junction taken in July 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign for Girrawheen Street and Masson Street in Turner. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Wakefield & Macarthur Avenue Intersection: Southbound through the Wakefield and Macarthur Avenue junction at Dickson, January 2010. Click here for a photo of this junction taken in July 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign facing Masson Street in Turner. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Girrahween & Masson Street intersection: Southbound on Northbourne Av as you approach the Masson St and Girrahween St in Braddon, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Approaching Macarthur Avenue & Wakefield Avenue: Northbourne Av in Turner approaching Macarthur Av and Wakefield Av. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: Southbound AD sign approaching the junction with Barry Drive and Cooyong Street at Braddon. January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign facing Macarthur Av in Turner. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the Cooyong Street and Barry Drive intersection. January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Northbound at Dickson: AD sign at Lyneham for the tourist information centre. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection Directional Sign: AD sign acting as an ID sign at the Cooyong Street and Barry Drive intersection. January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Morphett Street Junction: Corner of Northbourne Av and Morphett St in Lyneham. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Civic: Entering Civic. Southbound at the intersection with Barry Drive and Cooyong Street, July 2006. Note the extra wide median, which was designed for use with trams in Walter Burley Griffin's original plan for Canbera. July 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Murdoch Street Junction: Corner of Northbourne Av and Murdoch St in Lyneham. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Bunda & Rudd Street Junction: Southbound approaching Bunda and Rudd Streets in Civic. Note the old TD2 shield on the left. July 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Lyneham approaching Mouat St & Antill St. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Southbound at Civic: Passing the Sydney Building - it along with the Melbourne building across the road from were the first 2 commercial buildings in the Civic part of the ACT. July 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign approaching the Antill Street turn lane. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	London Circuit Intersection: Southbound at the London Cct intersection in Civic. The intersection that boasts having the first ever traffic signals installed in the ACT, they have since been upgraded of course. July 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Mouat Street & Antill Street Intersection: Northbourne Av at the junction with Antill St and Mouat St (former Barton Hwy) at Lyneham. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Parkes Way Overpass & Interchange: Southbound approaching the bridge over Parkes Way at Civic, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the Antill Street turn lane at Lyneham. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Commonwealth Avenue, approaching Albert Street near Civic. February 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign in Lyneham at the junction with Swinden St. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Commonwealth Avenue Bridge: Southbound near Albert Street just outside Civic, as you approach the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge over Lake Burley Griffin, February 2010. Note Parliament House atop of Capital Hill in the distance. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Lyneham approaching Barton Hwy (NH25) and Federal Hwy (NH23). December 2009. Not the incorrect route number for Barton Hwy. Image © Paul Rands
	Commonwealth Avenue Bridge: Looking towards Parliament House, standing on the northern shoreline of Lake Burley Griffin. October 2007. Image © Lee-Ann Wooster		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Lyneham approaching Barton Hwy (NH25) and Federal Hwy (NH23). December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
			Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign near the Barton Hwy (formerly Dunsmore St) junction at Lyneham. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
			Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign near the Barton Hwy junction at Lyneham. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
Click here for the continuation of NR23 between Acton & Fyshwick Click here for the Federal Highway (National Highway 23)

1 Canberra - Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow, John Overall, p. 12, ISBN 0-9593910-6-1
2 ACT Planning & Land Authority, Place Name Search, Northbourne Avenue
3 Canberra Times, Page 4, 2 October 1937
4 Canberra Times, Page 4, 18 April 1946 5 Canberra Times, Page 2, 15 October 1951 6 Canberra Times, Page 14, 17 May 1957 7 Canberra Times, Page 3, 20 October 1959
8 Canberra Times, Page 2, 5 April 1960
9 Canberra Times, Page 10, 9 August 1962
10 Canberra Times, Page 3, 30 June 1964
11 Canberra Times, Page 9, 24 August 1965
12 Canberra Times, Page 1, 23 October 1965
13 Canberra Times, Page 4, 27 October 1965
14 Canberra Times, Page 8, 8 April 1966
15 Canberra Times, Page 3, 27 August 1966
16 Canberra Times, Page 3, 12 November 1966
17 Canberra Times, Page 8, 9 December 1968
18 Canberra Times, Page 7, 5 May 1969
19 Canberra Times, Page 9, 11 July 1969
20 Canberra Times, Page 7, 28 March 1970
21 Canberra Times, Page 7, 22 July 1974
22 Canberra Times, Page 7, 22 July 1974
23 ACT Planning & Land Authority, Place Name Search, Vernon Circle
24 Canberra Times, Page 2, 5 April 1960
25 Canberra Times, Page 7, 5 May 1969
26 Canberra Times, Page 15, 30 September 1960
27 ACT Heritage Library, ImagesACT, Second Commonwealth Avenue Bridge
28 Canberra’s Engineering Heritage, 2nd edition, 1990
29 Northern Star, Page 7, 6 August 1923
30 Canberra Times, Page 1, 25 March 1929
31 Canberra Times, Page 4, 31 October 1929
32 Canberra Times, Page 2, 4 June 1945
33 Canberra Times, Page 3, 25 September 1945
34 Canberra Times, Page 3, 2 April 1946
35 Canberra Times, Page 4, 1 April 1947
36 Canberra Times, Page 5, 3 July 1958
37 Canberra Times, Page 3, 3 March 1960
38 Canberra Times, Page 9, 5 May 1961
39 Canberra Times, Page 3, 14 November 1961
40 Canberra Times, Page 1, 29 March 1962
41 Canberra Times, Page 31, 7 March 1963
42 Canberra Times, Page 3, 7 May 1963
43 Canberra Times, Page 1, 10 September 1963
44 Canberra Times, Page 1, 31 October 1963
45 ACT Heritage Library, ImagesACT, Commonwealth Avenue bridge, with Scotts Crossing in the foreground, the Albert Hall at left and the Canadian flagpole at Regatta Point at right
46 Canberra Times, Page 8, 19 January 1965
47 Canberra Times, Page 3, 21 June 1965
48 Canberra Times, Page 3, 2 October 1965
49 Canberra Times, Page 8, 5 June 1969
50 Canberra Times, Page 3, 27 June 1969
51 Canberra Times,
52 ACT Planning & Land Authority, Place Name Search, Commonwealth Avenue

Last updated: 05-Feb-2019 22:20

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