. ▁Despite ▁its ▁name , ▁the ▁road ▁is ▁not ▁an ▁official ▁highway ▁as ▁class ified ▁by ▁NS W ▁Ro ads ▁& ▁Mar itime ▁Services , ▁yet ▁considered ▁a ▁rural ▁road . ▁ ▁The ▁Olympic ▁Highway ▁car ries ▁the ▁A 4 1 ▁shield ▁for ▁its ▁entire ▁length , ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁which ▁is ▁a ▁single ▁carriage way ▁and ▁also ▁includes ▁wider ▁sections ▁within ▁urban ▁areas ▁and ▁some ▁passing ▁lan es . ▁Where ▁the ▁road ▁passes ▁through ▁sub urban ▁areas ▁it ▁accommod ates ▁both ▁par king ▁and ▁ped est rian ▁needs ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁sho pping ▁centre ▁and ▁highway ▁through ▁traffic . ▁A ▁ ▁section ▁of ▁the ▁highway ▁through ▁W ag ga ▁W ag ga ▁is ▁a ▁four - lane ▁divided ▁urban ▁road ▁where ▁the ▁highway ▁is ▁concurrent ▁with ▁the ▁St urt ▁Highway . ▁ ▁Route ▁The ▁highway ▁runs ▁generally ▁north - s outh , ▁roughly ▁aligned ▁to ▁sections ▁of ▁the ▁Sydney – M el bourne ▁and ▁the ▁Bl ay ney – D em ond r ille ▁railway ▁lines . ▁The ▁Olympic ▁Highway ▁approximately ▁par alle ls ▁the ▁H ume ▁Highway ▁to ▁the ▁east ▁and ▁the ▁New ell ▁Highway ▁to ▁the ▁west . ▁The ▁Olympic ▁shares ▁a ▁short ▁conc urrency ▁with ▁the ▁St urt ▁Highway ▁in ▁W ag ga ▁W ag ga . ▁ ▁At ▁its ▁northern ▁termin us ▁in ▁Cow ra , ▁the ▁Olympic ▁Highway ▁ad jo ins ▁the ▁Mid - West ern ▁Highway ▁that , ▁from ▁the ▁n ortheast ▁car ries ▁the ▁A 4 1 ▁shield ▁from ▁Bath urst ▁and , ▁from ▁the