Length:

23 km (Essendon North to Melbourne Airport: 9 km)

Termini:

Northern: Sunbury Rd (C743), Terminal Dr (unnumbered) and Melbourne Dr (unnumbered), Melbourne Airport

Southern: West Gate Fwy (M1), Port Melbourne

Miscellaneous:

Declared Names: Link Road and Tullamarine Freeway

Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:

Airport West, Strathmore Heights, Tullamarine and Melbourne Airport

Current: M2

Former: 40 43 F81

Road Authority Internal Classification: ¹

Freeway 1810 (Pascoe Vale South to Melbourne Airport)

General Information:

Metropolitan Route 43 is located in the western and inner western suburbs of Melbourne and connects the Melbourne CBD with Melbourne Airport in the city's northwest. It's a full freeway route and partially tolled, using passes and e-tags, from Port Melbourne to Pascoe Vale South.

The early incarnation of the Tullamarine Fwy prior to 1970 was Lancefield Road, skirting the western edge of Essendon Airport. ¹

MR43 originally extended up Sunbury Rd to Sunbury, through the town to Gap Rd, terminating at the Calder Fwy. ²

1964: Work begins in sections on the route around Essendon Airport (known as Lancefield Rd). ¹

1968: Construction of the Tullamarine Fwy from Essendon Airport to Melbourne Airport. ¹

1976: English Street interchange at Airport West / Essendon Fields constructed. ¹

1979: Tullamarine Fwy between Essendon Airport and Calder Fwy upgraded to freeway standards. ¹

1989: Introduction of State Route 43. ¹

1999: State Route 43 between Sunbury and Melbourne Airport renumbered to C706, C707 and C743 as part of the Statewide Route Numbering Scheme. ¹ This change caused State Route 43 to remain only in the metropolitan area.

2013: Metropolitan Route 43 route number decommissioned and replaced by M2. ¹

Essendon North to Melbourne Airport

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Tullamarine Fwy (MR43) at Tullamarine, approaching Western Ring Rd (M80), January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Western Ring Road:

Tullamarine Fwy (MR43) at the Western Ring Rd (M80) interchange at Tullamarine, January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Tullamarine approaching Mickleham Rd (MR39 / MR48), January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Tullamarine approaching Mickleham Rd (MR39 / MR48), January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Mickleham Road:

Tullamarine Fwy (MR43) at the Mickelham Rd (MR39 / MR48) interchange at Tullamarine, January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Tullamarine approaching Mercer Dr and Terminal Dr, January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Tullamarine approaching Mercer Dr and Terminal Dr, January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Mercer Drive:

Tullamarine Fwy (MR43) at the Mercer Dr interchange, Melbourne Airport, January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Terminal Drive:

Tullamarine Fwy (MR43) at Terminal Dr / Sunbury Rd (C743) interchange, Melbourne Airport, January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Terminal Drive:

Tullamarine Fwy (MR43) at Terminal Dr / Sunbury Rd (C743) interchange, Melbourne Airport, January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Melbourne Airport to Essendon North

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Arrival Dr, Melbourne Airport approaching Melbourne Dr and Centre Rd, January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign on Tullamarine Fwy (MR43) at Melbourne Airport, January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Melbourne Airport approaching Mickleham Rd (MR39 / MR48), January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Travel Time Sign:

Sign indicating travel times to major exits on the freeway network, Melbourne Airport, January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Tourism Sign:

Tourism sign welcoming visitors to Melbourne, Tullamarine, January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Tullamarine approaching Mickleham Rd (MR39 / MR48), January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Freeway Green Intersection Directional Sign:

Old freeway green ID sign at the Mickleham Rd (MR39 / MR48) interchange at Tullamarine, January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Tullamarine with missing route number approaching Western Ring Rd (M80), January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Tullamarine approaching Western Ring Rd (M80), January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Tullamarine approaching Western Ring Rd (M80), January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

A very patchy AD sign at Tullamarine approaching Western Ring Rd (M80), January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Western Ring Road:

Tullamarine Fwy (MR43) at the Western Ring Rd (M80) interchange at Tullamarine, January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Western Ring Road:

Tullamarine Fwy (MR43) at the Western Ring Rd (M80) interchange at Tullamarine, January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Western Ring Road:

Tullamarine Fwy (MR43) at the Western Ring Rd (M80) interchange at Tullamarine, January 2016. Note the uncovered M2 sign.

Image © Rob Tilley

Western Ring Road:

Tullamarine Fwy (MR43) at the Western Ring Rd (M80) interchange at Tullamarine, January 2016.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Tullamarine for Wirraway Rd interchange, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Tullamarine for Wirraway Rd interchange, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Tullamarine for Wirraway Rd interchange, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Wirraway Road:

Tullamarine Fwy (MR43) at Airport West at the Wirraway Rd interchange, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands