Capital Circle

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Capital Circle Australian Capital Territory
Capital Circle is the inner of two circular concentric roads that orbit Parliament House.
Capital Circle Location of Capital Circle in the Australian Capital Territory
Coordinates	35°18′28.8″S 149°7′30″E / 35.308000°S 149.12500°E / -35.308000; 149.12500
General information
Type	Freeway
Length	2.4 km (1.5 mi)
Route number(s)	A23 (2013–present) Commonwealth Avenue to Canberra Avenue, North to West section only)
Former route number	National Route 23 (1955–2013) Commonwealth Avenue to Canberra Avenue, North to West section only)
Ring road around	Capital Hill
Major junctions
North to West section
North end	Commonwealth Avenue Parkes, Australian Capital Territory
	Canberra Avenue
West end	Adelaide Avenue Deakin, Australian Capital Territory
West to North section
West end	Adelaide Avenue Yarralumla, Australian Capital Territory
North end	Commonwealth Avenue Parkes, Australian Capital Territory
Highway system
Highways in Australia National Highway • Freeways in Australia Road infrastructure in Canberra

Capital Circle is a circular road surrounding Capital Hill in the centre of Canberra, Australia. It is one of three concentric roads on the hill, with State Circle the outermost and Parliament Drive the innermost. There are no buildings on Capital Circle. Parliament Drive surrounds New Parliament House.

Roads named for each of Australia's state capitals converge at Capital Circle or State Circle. The main roads leading from the circle are Commonwealth Avenue to the north and Canberra Avenue and Adelaide Avenue to the south.

Design

Capital Circle is a three-lane road. All traffic runs in a clockwise direction. The road does not form a complete circle, as a section under Commonwealth Avenue was closed a few years after opening due to the high number of crashes apparently resulting partly from the proximity of the entrance from Commonwealth Avenue and the exit to Kings Avenue. Vehicles are now forced to exit at Commonwealth Avenue.

History

Capital Circle was built by Leighton Contractors opening on 3 August 1971. As part of the construction of New Parliament House, a 160-metre tunnel was built under Federation Mall in December 1986. It was designed by Maunsell & Partners and built by Leighton Contractors.

References