Description: Princes Highway through Melbourne forms part of the former National 1 route, long before the new state route numbering system was implemented. In the late 1980's, South Eastern and West Gate Freeways took on the National 1 route, leaving the Princes Highway to take on ALT1. Originally, this route followed Princes Highway all the way through Melbourne, but now this route stops on Kings Way where it passes West Gate Freeway in South Melbourne. There is still a fair amount of signage along the old route.

Length: ALT1 is 43km in length, being extended 6km when the Hallam Bypass (M1) opened in 2003. In the late 1980's it was 52km in length.

Condition: ALT1 is mostly a four to six lane divided road, with sections up to nine lanes. There is a five lane section along Queens Road, where overhead gantries indicate who can use the centre lane.

Click on a thumbnail below to view the entire image:

	Heading east along Dandenong Road as it passes under the Melbourne to Traralgon railway in Malvern. June 2004
	Heading east along along Dandenong Road in Armidale. June 2004
	Heading north entering Queens Road from St Kilda Road (MR3) at St Kilda Junction interchange. Note the flourescent edged city bypass sign. Nov 2004
	Heading west along Queens Way towards Punt Road (MR29) overpass. Dec 2004
	A close up of the overhead signs. Dec 2004
	Heading north along Queens Road. Note the odd trailblazer missing the "1". Dec 2004
	North along Queens Road at Lakeside Drive intersection. Nov 2004
	North along Queens Road showing one of the overhead lane gantries. The centre lane starts/ends here. Nov 2004
	North about midway along Queens Road showing central lane. Nov 2004
	ALT 1 direction sign on Kings Way. Nov 2004
	ALT1 distance sign along Kings Way, South Melbourne. ALT1 has coverplated the National 1 marker on most of these signs. Nov 2004
	Ferry sign along Kings Way. Dec 2004
	Heading towards Melbourne CBD along Kings Way. Nov 2004
	Tiny city bypass sign along Kings Way. Nov 2004
	End ALT1 at West Gate Freeway interchange. Nov 2004
	Close up of overhead sign. Nov 2004
	But the old road continues. This old trailblazer with the added ALT above it stands on King Street, just north of Dudley Street, West Melbourne. This section of road is part of National 79. Nov 2004
	Another trailblazer on Curzon Street, still part of National 79. Nov 2004.
	Trailblazer on Curzon Street as it turns into Harker Street, North Melbourne. Nov 2004.
	AD sign on Royal Parade (NH31), Carlton North.
	AD sign on Flemington Road (NH8, N79), North Melbourne. Dec 2004
	ID sign on Racecourse Road, North Melbourne. Dec 2004
	Coverplated RD sign on Ballarat Road. Dec 2004
	ID sign on Ballarat Road as Geelong Road branches off. Both national road shields have been coverplated. Dec 2004
	Coverplated RD sign facing south along Geelong Road in Footscray. Dec 2004

 

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