Burley Griffin Way

Burley Griffin Way New South Wales
Burley Griffin Way sign on Hume Highway, at its eastern end
West end East end
Coordinates	34°18′06″S146°05′01″E / 34.301716°S 146.083487°E / -34.301716; 146.083487 (West end) 34°45′59″S148°45′43″E / 34.766327°S 148.762043°E / -34.766327; 148.762043 (East end)
General information
Type	Rural road
Length	276 km (171 mi) [1]
Gazetted	August 1938 (as Main Road 387) [2] August 1949 (as Trunk Road 84) [3]
Route number(s)	B94 (2013–present)
Former route number	State Route 94 (1974–2013)
Major junctions
West end	Irrigation Way Yoogali, New South Wales
	Newell Highway Goldfields Way Olympic Highway
East end	Hume Highway Bowning, New South Wales
Location(s)
Major settlements	Yenda, Barellan, Temora, Wallendbeen

Burley Griffin Way is a New South Wales state route, is located in south eastern Australia. Named after the American architect Walter Burley Griffin, designer of the cities of Canberra and Griffith, the road links these two cities via Yass and Barton Highway.

Route

Burley Griffin Way commences at the intersection of Irrigation Way at Yoogali, in the eastern suburbs of Griffith, and heads in an easterly direction, passing through the regional towns of Yenda and Barellan, before meeting Newell Highway at Ardlethan. It recommences at Beckom, running east and crossing Goldfields Way through Temora, Olympic Highway at Wallendbeen, continues through Harden-Murrumburrah and eventually ends at the at-grade interchange with Hume Highway west of Bowning.

Economically it provides a link between the agricultural produce of the western Riverina and Murrumbidgee regions and markets such as Sydney. The area it passes through is one of the richest agricultural areas in Australia. Hence, trucks make up a significant proportion of traffic using the road.

History

The passing of the Main Roads Act of 1924 ^[4] through the Parliament of New South Wales provided for the declaration of Main Roads, roads partially funded by the State government through the Main Roads Board (MRB). With the subsequent passing of the Main Roads (Amendment) Act of 1929 ^[5] to provide for additional declarations of State Highways and Trunk Roads, the Department of Main Roads (having succeeded the MRB in 1932) declared Main Road 387 on 24 August 1938, from the intersection with Main Road 254 in Yenda via Barellan to the intersection with State Highway 17 (later Newell Highway) at Ardlethan, then from the intersection from State Highway 17 at Beckom via Temora, Wallendbeen and Harden to the intersection with Hume Highway) in Bowning. ^[2]

Trunk Road 84 was declared on 24 August 1949, from the intersection with Trunk Road 57 (later Goldfields Way) in Temora via Wallendbeen and Harden to the intersection with Hume Highway) in Bowning, subsuming the alignment of Main Road 387 between Temora and Bowning; Main Road 387 was truncated at Temora as a result. ^[3]

The passing of the Roads Act of 1993 ^[6] updated road classifications and the way they could be declared within New South Wales. Under this act, the western end of Main Road 84 (previously Trunk Road 84) was extended to from Temora via Ardlethan, Barellan, Yenda and Yoolgali, subsuming Main Road 387 and a portion of Main Road 254 (which was truncated to meet Main Road 84 at Yenda), ^[7] and the route was also officially named as Burley Griffith Way, ^[7] on 2 August 1996. Burley Griffith Way today retains its declaration as Main Road 84. ^[8]

The route was allocated State Route 94 in 1974. With the conversion to the newer alphanumeric system in 2013, this was replaced with route B94. ^[9]

In 2007, a bypass was constructed west of Bowning, and Burley Griffin Way was realigned along this road to a new at-grade intersection with Hume Highway. However this intersection can be covered in thick fog in winter, potentially causing accidents for traffic attempting to cross the high-speed dual carriageways of Hume Highway. ^[10] The area is prone to fog and already had a reputation as a black spot, despite the intersection being opened back in 2007.

Wallendbeen Bridge

In March 2021, the road over rail bridge at Wallendbeen sustained severe damage from severe weather and had to be dismantled. A temporary single-lane bridge crossing the rail line opened in October 2021. Before this temporary solution was installed, motorists had to take a 40-minute detour. As of 16 December 2024 the temporary bridge has sustained major damage due to a truck accident striking the side of the temporary bridge the 40mins detour is back indefinitely splitting the Burley Griffin way in half again. ^{[11] [12]}

Constructing the new Wallendbeen Bridge

Public consultations for the new permanent bridge started in April 2022. ^[12] The new bridge will feature a 3.9m wide traffic lane and a 2m wide shoulder for each direction, as well as a sefety screen. ^[11]

During public consultations, the community voiced their need for a pedestrian crossing across the rail line. Construction is progressing with the above-mentioned design, but Transport for NSW is looking into ways to provide this crossing, for example by adding a pedestrian and cyclist crossing to the new bridge when funding and community support is available, or using the infrastructure of the current temporary bridge to create a new, dedicated pedestrian and cyclist bridge. ^[12]

Construction for the new permanent bridge began in late 2022. From March 2023 onwards, temporary access for plant and equipment was built, and parts were delivered. ^[13] Pile driving started in late May 2024, ^[14] and Retaining structures, stormwater drainage, foundations and bridge abutments were constructed from March to August 2024. In September 2024, the bridge girders were lifted into place ^[11] using a 650t crane. ^[15]

As of September 2024, Transport for NSW does not expect the bridge to open as planned by mid-2025 ^[15]

Major intersections

LGA	Location	km [1]	mi	Destinations	Notes
Griffith	Yoogali	0.0	0.0	Irrigation Way (B94 northwest, unallocated southeast) – Griffith, Leeton, Narrandera	Western terminus of Burley Griffith Way Route B94 continues northwest along Irrigation Way
				Kurrajong Avenue (southwest) – Hanwood, Darlington Point
	Yenda	16.0	9.9	Whitton Stock Route Road – Widgelli, Leeton
Coolamon	Ardlethan	80.9	50.3	Newell Highway (A39 south) – Narrandera, Jerilderie	Concurrency with route A39
	Beckom	99.2	61.6	Newell Highway (A39 north) – West Wyalong, Dubbo
Temora	Temora	146.6	91.1	Goldfields Way (B85) – West Wyalong, Old Junee	Roundabout
		148.6	92.3	Waratah Street, to Milvale Road – Milvale, Young
Cootamundra-Gundagai	Wallendbeen	207.6	129.0	Main Southern railway line
		208.7	129.7	Olympic Highway (A41) – Albury, Wagga Wagga, Cowra, Bathurst	Roundabout
Hilltops	Murrumburrah	224.2	139.3	Wombat Road – Wombat
	Cunningar	233.3	145.0	Cunningar Road – Boorowa
	Binalong	257.7	160.1	Queen Street, to Hughstonia Road (east) – Boorowa Stephen Street (north) – Binalong	4-way intersection
Yass Valley	Bowning	276.0	171.5	Hume Highway (M31) – Albury, Yass, Goulburn	Eastern terminus of Burley Griffin Way and route B94
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi        Concurrency terminus        Route transition

See also

• Australian roads portal

• Highways in Australia
• List of highways in New South Wales

References

1. "Burley Griffin Way" (Map). Google Maps . Retrieved 1 December 2022.
2. "Main Roads Act, 1924-1937". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 127. 2 September 1938. p. 3439. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022– via National Library of Australia.
3. "Main Roads Act, 1924-1949". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 173. 9 September 1949. p. 2666. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022– via National Library of Australia.
4. State of New South Wales, An Act to provide for the better construction, maintenance, and financing of main roads; to provide for developmental roads; to constitute a Main Roads Board Archived 11 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 10 November 1924
5. State of New South Wales, An Act to amend the Main Roads Act, 1924-1927; to confer certain further powers upon the MRB; to amend the Local Government Act, 1919, and certain other Acts; to validate certain payments and other matters; and for purposes connected therewith. Archived 12 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 8 April 1929
6. State of New South Wales, An Act to make provision with respect to the roads of New South Wales; to repeal the State Roads Act 1986, the Crown and Other Roads Act 1990 and certain other enactments; and for other purposes. Archived 11 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 10 November 1924
7. "Roads Act". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 91. 2 August 1996. p. 2666. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022– via National Library of Australia.
8. Transport for NSW (August 2022). "Schedule of Classified Roads and Unclassified Regional Roads" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 August 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
9. "Road number and name changes in NSW" (PDF). Roads & Maritime Services . Government of New South Wales. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
10. Transport for NSW, N. S. W. "History of the Hume Highway duplication". Transport for NSW. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
11. NSW, Transport for (30 January 2023). "Burley Griffin Way Bridge at Wallendbeen". transport.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
12. Wallendbeen Bridge feedback summary report. Transport for NSW. 2022. ISBN   978-1-922875-23-5.
13. Transport for NSW. "Replacement of Wallendbeen Bridge Community update February 2024" (PDF). Retrieved 14 October 2024.
14. Transport for NSW (May 2024). "Piling work on Burley Griffin Way rail bridge at Wallendbeen" (PDF). Retrieved 14 October 2024.
15. Transport for NSW (September 2024). "Work continues on Burley Griffin Way bridge at Wallendbeen" (PDF). Retrieved 14 October 2024.