View source for Barton Highway

{{Short description|Highway in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2011}}
{{Infobox Australian road
| type         = highway
| road_name    = Barton Highway
| state        = nsw
| state2       = act
| image        = Barton Highway near the Hume Highway exits (3).jpg
| caption      = Exit to Hume Highway from Barton Highway
| length       = 52
| length_ref   = <ref name="gmaps">{{google maps |url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/-34.8280177,148.9573916/-35.2405625,149.1370193/@-35.0332191,148.9534933,11.31z/data=!4m2!4m1!3e0?hl=en |title=Barton Highway |access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref>
| gazetted     = August 1928 {{small|(as Main Road 56)}}<ref name="nswgovgaz28">{{cite news |title=Main Roads Act, 1924-1927 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/219952359 |work=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales |issue=110 |via=National Library of Australia |date=17 August 1928 |pages=3814–20 |access-date=1 August 2022 |archive-date=3 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220803050207/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/219952359 |url-status=live }}</ref><br />February  1935 {{small|(as State Highway 15)}}<ref name="nswgovgaz35">{{cite news |title=Main Roads Act, 1924-1931 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/224743392 |work=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales |issue=53 |publisher=National Library of Australia |date=8 March 1935 |pages=1038 |access-date=26 August 2022 |archive-date=26 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220826144024/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/224743392 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| coordinates_a = {{coord|-34.828282|148.957221|type:landmark_region:AU-NSW|display=inline}}
| coordinates_b = {{coord|-35.240576|149.136974|type:landmark_region:AU-NSW|display=inline}}
| pushpin_label_position_a = top
| pushpin_label_position_b = bottom
| direction_a  = North
| direction_b  = South
| end_a        = {{AUshield|NSW|M31}} '''[[Hume Highway]]'''<br />{{small|[[Yass, New South Wales]]}}
| end_b        = {{AUshield|ACT|A23}} '''[[Federal Highway (Australia)|Federal Highway]]'''<br />{{AUshield|ACT|A23}} '''[[Northbourne Avenue]]'''<br />{{small|[[Lyneham, Australian Capital Territory]]}}
| route        = {{plainlist|
*{{AUshield|NSW|A25}} A25 {{small|(2013–present)<br />(within NSW)}}
*{{AUshield|ACT|A25}} A25 {{small|(2013–present)<br />(within ACT)}}
}}
| former = {{plainlist|
*{{AUshield|NH|25}} National Highway 25<br />{{small|(1974–2013, within NSW)}}
*{{AUshield|ACTN|25}} National Highway 25<br />{{small|(1974–2013, within ACT)}}
*{{AUshield|NR|25}} National Route 25<br />{{small|(1956–1974)}}
*{{AUshield|ACTT|4}} ACT Tourist Route 4 {{small|(Nicholls–Lyneham)}}
}}
| exits        = {{plainlist|
*[[Old Hume Highway|Yass Valley Way]]
*[[Gungahlin Drive]]}}
| through      = {{NSWcity|Murrumbateman}}, {{ACTcity|Hall}}
}}

'''Barton Highway'''<ref>[http://www.ozroads.com.au/NSW/Highways/Barton/barton.htm National Route 25], ''Ozroads: the Australian Roads Website''. Retrieved 11 May 2008.{{Self-published source|date=April 2014}}</ref> is a highway in [[New South Wales]] and the [[Australian Capital Territory]]. It connects [[Canberra]] to [[Hume Highway]] at [[Yass, New South Wales|Yass]], and it is part of the route from [[Melbourne]] to [[Canberra]]. It is named in honour of [[Edmund Barton|Sir Edmund Barton]], the first [[Prime Minister of Australia]].

==Route==
Barton Highway commences at the interchange with Hume Highway northeast of Yass and heads in a southerly direction as a four-lane, dual-carriageway freeway, before narrowing to a two-lane, single-carriageway highway south of the interchange with [[Yass Valley Way]] where it meets its old alignment, and continues south through undulating hills to the village of {{NSWcity|Murrumbateman}}, before crossing the border into the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) just outside the village of {{ACTcity|Hall}}, before eventually terminating at the intersection with [[Federal Highway (Australia)|Federal Highway]] and [[Northbourne Avenue]] at {{ACTcity|Lyneham}}.

The Gundaroo Drive/Barton Highway round-about is surrounded by a number of trees to the south of the intersection. The pine [[tree plantation]] was originally planted in the shape of a map of Australia.

==History==
The passing of the ''Main Roads Act of 1924''<ref>[http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/num_act/mra1924n24133/ 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''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811000905/http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/num_act/mra1924n24133/ |date=11 August 2022 }} 10 November 1924</ref> 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, later [[Transport for NSW]]). Main Road No. 56 was declared along this road on 8 August 1928, from Yass via Murrumbateman to Lyneham (and continuing northwards via Cowra to Forbes, Parkes, Dubbo, Gilgandra and Coonamble eventually to Walgett, and southwards via Canberra eventually to the intersection with Queanbeyan-Braidwood Road, today [[Kings Highway (Australia)|Kings Highway]], at [[Queanbeyan]]);<ref name="nswgovgaz28" /> with the passing of the ''Main Roads (Amendment) Act of 1929''<ref>[https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/pdf/asmade/act-1929-15 State of New South Wales, ''An Act to amend the Main Roads Act, 1924-1927; to confer certain further powers upon the Main Roads Board; to amend the Local Government Act, 1919, and certain other Acts; to validate certain payments and other matters; and for purposes connected therewith.''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812065622/https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/pdf/asmade/act-1929-15 |date=12 August 2022 }} 8 April 1929</ref> to provide for additional declarations of State Highways and Trunk Roads, this was amended to Trunk Road 56 on 8 April 1929. The original purpose of the ''Yass-Canberra Road'' was to connect surrounding towns to farming locations in the Yass Valley, and later with the newly-established national capital.<ref name=ozroads>{{cite web|url=http://www.ozroads.com.au/NSW/Highways/Barton/barton.htm|title=Barton Highway|work=OzRoads|access-date=20 March 2015}}{{Self-published source|date=March 2015}}</ref>

The [[Department of Main Roads (New South Wales)|Department of Main Roads]], which had succeeded the MRB in 1932, declared State Highway 15 on 19 February 1935, from the intersection with [[Hume Highway]] near Yass via Murrumbateman to the border of the Federal Capital Territory (today Australian Capital Territory) at Hall, subsuming the existing portion Trunk Road 56 from Yass to Hall;<ref name="nswgovgaz35" /> the southern end of Trunk Road 56 was truncated to meet Hume Highway west of Yass, as a result.<ref name="nswgovgaz35" /> State Highway 15 was officially named as '''Barton Highway''' on 28 July 1954,<ref name="nswgovgaz54">{{cite news |title=Main Roads Act, 1924-1954 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/220292578 |work=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales |issue=129 |publisher=National Library of Australia |date=20 August 1954 |pages=2545 |access-date=26 August 2022 |archive-date=26 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220826150017/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/220292578 |url-status=live }}</ref> and fully sealed by 1960.

The first realignment occurred during the late 1970s, when the southern terminus of the highway was relocated north, to the north of the [[Yowani Country Club]].<ref name="barton-former-alignments"/> In 1980 the village of Hall was [[Bypass (road)|bypassed]]; and during the early 1990s a [[dual carriageway]] was completed on the ACT section of the highway, between Hall and {{ACTcity|Kaleen}}. A further section of dual carriageways was completed in December 2002, between [[Gungahlin Drive]] and the southern terminus with the Federal Highway.<ref name=ozroads/>

Between April 1993 and May 1995, as part of the Hume Highway bypass of Yass, a {{convert|9|km|adj=on}} dual carriageway deviation of Barton Highway was constructed to connect Barton Highway with the new alignment of Hume Highway, north of Yass. The new route crosses the Yass River on twin bridges to the east of Cooma Cottage before terminating at a trumpet interchange with Hume Highway, about {{convert|3|km}} northeast of Yass.<ref name="barton-former-alignments">{{cite web|url=http://www.ozroads.com.au/NSW/Highways/Barton/barton-old.htm|title=Barton Highway: Former alignments|work=OzRoads|access-date=20 March 2015}}{{Self-published source|date=March 2015}}</ref> The highway's former alignment, near the historic [[Cooma Cottage]], east of the [[Yass River]], was renamed Kirkton Road and Dog Trap Road.

The passing of the ''Roads Act of 1993''<ref>[https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1993-033 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.''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811000905/http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/num_act/mra1924n24133/ |date=11 August 2022 }} 10 November 1924</ref> through the [[Parliament of New South Wales]] updated road classifications and the way they could be declared within New South Wales. Under this act, Barton Highway today retains its declaration as Highway 15, from the intersection with Hume Highway near Yass to the border of the Australian Capital Territory at Hall.<ref name="nswroadsched">{{cite web |url=https://roads-waterways.transport.nsw.gov.au/business-industry/partners-suppliers/lgr/documents/classified-roads-schedule.pdf |title=Schedule of Classified Roads and Unclassified Regional Roads |author=[[Transport for NSW]] |date=August 2022 |publisher=Government of New South Wales |access-date=1 August 2022 |archive-date=25 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220825104657/https://roads-waterways.transport.nsw.gov.au/business-industry/partners-suppliers/lgr/documents/classified-roads-schedule.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Barton Highway was signed National Route 25 across its entire length in 1956. The [[Whitlam government]] introduced the federal ''National Roads Act 1974'',<ref name=NRA1974>{{cite Legislation AU|Cth|num_act|nra1974151|National Roads Act 1974}}</ref> where roads declared as a National Highway were still the responsibility of the states for road construction and maintenance, but were fully compensated by the Federal government for money spent on approved projects.<ref name=NRA1974 />{{rp|S7}} As an important interstate link between the capitals of the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria, Barton Highway was declared a [[National Highway (Australia)|National Highway]] in 1974, and was consequently re-allocated National Highway 25. With both states' conversion to the newer alphanumeric system in 2013, its route number was updated to route A25.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/projects/key-build-programs/alpha-numeric/nsw-factsheet.pdf |title=Road number and name changes in NSW |work=[[Roads & Maritime Services]] |publisher=Government of New South Wales |date=2012 |access-date=7 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325194425/http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/projects/key-build-programs/alpha-numeric/nsw-factsheet.pdf |archive-date=25 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Murrumbateman bypass and staged duplication===
The Barton Highway passes through farmlands and the NSW town of Murrumbateman. In October 2001 the Australian Government announced that they would bypass the town to the east. A$20&nbsp;million was set aside in the 2006 [[Australian federal budget|federal budget]] for planning and duplication costs associated with the bypass.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/21/2096785.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121231081854/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/21/2096785.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 December 2012|title=Labor commits $20m to improving Barton Highway|work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|location=Australia|date=21 November 2007|access-date=20 March 2015}}</ref> The same year, the [[NRMA]] had named the Barton Highway as the worst highway on the [[AusLink]] National Network in New South Wales; accounting for three road fatalities annually.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA20080617007 |title=Barton Highway Funding |work=Hansard |publisher=[[Parliament of New South Wales]] |author=Hodgkinson, Katrina |author-link=Katrina Hodgkinson |date=17 June 2008 |access-date=20 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402115318/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA20080617007 |archive-date=2 April 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA20080515009 |title=Murrumbateman Bypass |work=Hansard |publisher=[[Parliament of New South Wales]] |author=Hodgkinson, Katrina |author-link=Katrina Hodgkinson |date=15 May 2008 |access-date=20 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402095843/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA20080515009 |archive-date=2 April 2015}}</ref> While {{convert|42|km}} of the {{convert|52|km|adj=on}} highway are located in New South Wales (NSW), only {{convert|6|km}} of the NSW section are dual carriageway.<ref name=ozroads/>

Various NSW<ref>{{cite book|url=http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/projects/south-western/barton-highway/barton-highway-road-corridor-boundaries-report.pdf|type=PDF|title=Barton Highway duplication: Preferred road corridor boundaries report|date=November 2011|access-date=20 March 2015|publisher=[[Roads & Maritime Services]], Government of New South Wales|work=Manidis Roberts Pty Ltd|isbn=978-1-922040-05-3}}</ref> and Federal<ref>{{cite press release|author=Albanese, Anthony|author-link=Anthony Albanese|title=Barton Highway: Federal Labor delivers more safety upgrades|date=22 October 2012|publisher=[[Australian Government]]}}</ref> governments have committed funding towards improvements to the Barton Highway, including a bypass east of Murrumbateman and a staged duplication to create {{convert|33|km}} of dual carriageways.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.yasstribune.com.au/story/2532921/progress-toward-a-staged-duplication-plan/|title=Barton Highway duplication plan|work=Yass Tribune|author=Taylor, Angus|author-link=Angus Taylor (politician)|date=3 September 2014|access-date=20 March 2015}}</ref> Stage one of construction work has commenced and is scheduled to be completed by 2023.

==Major intersections==
{{AUSinttop|state_col=State|sub1={{Abbr|LGA|Local government area (New South Wales)}} / {{Abbr|District|District (Australian Capital Territory)}}
|length_ref=<ref name="gmaps" />}}
{{NSWint
|sspan=4
|LGA-Co=Yass Valley
|LGAspan=4
|location=Yass
|lspan=
|km=0
|type=trans
|road={{AUshield|NSW|M31}} [[Hume Highway]] (M31){{NSWcity|p=on|Gundagai}}, [[Melbourne]], {{NSWcity|Goulburn|Sydney}}
|notes=Northern terminus of highway and route A25 at [[trumpet interchange]]}}
{{NSWint
|location=Manton
|km=4.6
|road=[[Old Hume Highway|Yass Valley Way]]{{NSWcity|p=on|Yass}}
|notes=[[Dumbbell interchange]]
}}
{{NSWint
|location=Murrumbateman
|km=18.3
|road=Murrumbateman Road{{NSWcity|p=on|Gundaroo|Bungendore}}
|notes=
}}
{{NSWint
|location=Wallaroo
|km=35.8
|road=Nanima Road{{NSWcity|p=on|Nanima}}
|notes=
}}
{{NSWint
|location_special=State border 
|lcspan=3
|lcalign=center
|km=40.1
|place=New South Wales – Australian Capital Territory state border
|notes=
}}
{{ACTint
|sspan=10
|district=[[Hall (district)|Hall]]
|LGAspan=4
|location=Hall
|lspan=4
|km=40.2
|road=Victoria Street{{ACTcity|p=on|Hall}}
|notes=Former Barton Highway alignment
}}
{{ACTint
|km=41.8
|road=Wallaroo Road{{NSWcity|p=on|Wallaroo}}
|notes=
}}
{{ACTint
|km=41.9
|road=Gladstone Street{{ACTcity|p=on|Hall}}
|notes=
}}
{{ACTint
|km=43.1
|road=Victoria Street{{ACTcity|p=on|Hall}}
|notes=Former Barton Highway alignment
}}
{{ACTint
|district=[[Gungahlin, Australian Capital Territory|Gungahlin]]
|location_special={{ACTcity|Kinlyside}}–{{ACTcity|Nicholls}} boundary
|km=43.4
|road=Kuringa Drive (southwest){{ACTcity|p=on|Fraser|Belconnen}}<br />Clarrie Hermes Drive (northeast){{ACTcity|p=on|Ngunnawal}}
|notes=
}}
{{ACTint
|district=Gungahlin–[[Belconnen, Australian Capital Territory|Belconnen]] boundary
|dspan=4
|location_special=Nicholls–{{ACTcity|Crace}}–{{ACTcity|Giralang}} [[tripoint]]
|km=46.1
|road=William Slim Drive (southwest){{ACTcity|p=on|Belconnen}}<br />Gundaroo Drive (northeast){{ACTcity|p=on|Gungahlin}}, [[Gundaroo]]
|notes=Roundabout
}}
{{ACTint
|location_special=Crace–{{ACTcity|Mitchell}}–{{ACTcity|Kaleen}} tripoint
|km=49.8
|road=[[Gungahlin Drive Extension|Gungahlin Drive]]{{ACTcity|p=on|Mitchell|Belconnen|Woden}}
|notes=[[Parclo interchange]]
}}
{{ACTint
|location_special=Mitchell–Kaleen–{{ACTcity|Lyneham}} tripoint
|km=50.6
|road=Ellenborough Street{{ACTcity|p=on|Kaleen|Lyneham}}
|notes=
}}
{{ACTint
|location=Lyneham
|km=51.4
|road=Randwick Road{{ACTcity|p=on|Lyneham}}
|notes=
}}
{{ACTint
|district=[[North Canberra]]
|location_special=Lyneham–{{ACTcity|Downer}} border
|km=52.0
|type=trans
|road={{AUshield|ACT|A23}} [[Federal Highway (Australia)|Federal Highway]] (A23 northeast){{NSWcity|p=on|Goulburn}}<br />{{AUshield|ACT|A23}} [[Northbourne Avenue]] (A23 south){{ACTcity|p=on|Civic|Capital Hill}}, {{NSWcity|Queanbeyan}}
|notes=Southern terminus of highway and route A25
}}
{{jctbtm|col=7|keys=trans}}

==See also==
{{stack|{{Portal|Australian Roads|New South Wales|Australia}}}}
* [[Highways in Australia]]
* [[List of highways in New South Wales]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Barton Highway}}
{{Attached KML|display=inline,title}}

{{Road infrastructure in Canberra}}
{{Road infrastructure in New South Wales}}

[[Category:Highways in the Australian Capital Territory]]
[[Category:Highways in New South Wales]]