[COM] South Road Superway | $842m | 3km

[Hooligan]

Northern Connector is likely to be built in two stages, the first stage from the PR Expressway to Globe Derby Park, and then the second stage from Globe Derby Park to the Northern Expressway. Rumour has it that the rail component of the project has now been cancelled altogether for the time being, although they will still build the road corridor with the provision for the rail corridor at a much later date.

When was this announced?

[muzzamo]

When was this announced?

Don't think it has. Sounds like inside goss to me.

[Hooligan]

When was this announced?

Don't think it has. Sounds like inside goss to me.

Well I'm not going to believe it until i see something official.

[claybro]

AFAIK, The plan of joining to the Northern Connector is still active, but the earliest the NC would commence construction (assuming federal funding approved) would be 2016/7. So unless this new northern end has changed other plans, the interchange should be relatively easy (in terms of destroying current structure) to add on to.

2016/17 Why why why the delay? All those workers...all that expertise..all that machinery already onsite. And in a state with the highest mainland unemployment. They should be bashing down the doors in Canberra, with some state cash in hand, and the plans, and just keep going. Dont loose momentum. PLEEEESE.

[muzzamo]

From DTEI facebook... awesome photo imo

225304_506919406027041_1877015510_n.jpg (126.29 KiB) Viewed 2625 times

[Waewick]

AFAIK, The plan of joining to the Northern Connector is still active, but the earliest the NC would commence construction (assuming federal funding approved) would be 2016/7. So unless this new northern end has changed other plans, the interchange should be relatively easy (in terms of destroying current structure) to add on to.

2016/17 Why why why the delay? All those workers...all that expertise..all that machinery already onsite. And in a state with the highest mainland unemployment. They should be bashing down the doors in Canberra, with some state cash in hand, and the plans, and just keep going. Dont loose momentum. PLEEEESE.

we don't have any state cash to hold in our hand

that is the prime issue.I've also listen to Rod Hook a number of times and he is adamant that there isn't likely to be more road infrastructure monies in the near future without the big T word being discussed.

[Reb-L]

AFAIK, The plan of joining to the Northern Connector is still active, but the earliest the NC would commence construction (assuming federal funding approved) would be 2016/7. So unless this new northern end has changed other plans, the interchange should be relatively easy (in terms of destroying current structure) to add on to.

2016/17 Why why why the delay? All those workers...all that expertise..all that machinery already onsite. And in a state with the highest mainland unemployment. They should be bashing down the doors in Canberra, with some state cash in hand, and the plans, and just keep going. Dont loose momentum. PLEEEESE.

we don't have any state cash to hold in our hand

that is the prime issue.I've also listen to Rod Hook a number of times and he is adamant that there isn't likely to be more road infrastructure monies in the near future without the big T word being discussed.

I agree with all the above; it's a waste and a shame not to utilize readily available workers and machinery when our state needs more employment and infrastructure badly. And I think Waewick is right too; it ain't gonna happen if we wait for broke state and fed governments to pay for it. So where is the $$'s gonna come from? That's right, we cannot avoid the T word if anything substantial is to happen to our road network within the next decade or so. I don't like paying tolls either (always avoid them when I go interstate) but as long as there is a choice I see it it's the most fair option. Think about it: why should people who don't have/use a car pay for freeways? Why should folks in Wudinna finance more free flowing traffic across the metro area? Use petrol taxes and rego to build and maintain the public roads and let private enterprise help to get new projects under way (with govt subsidies if deemed to be in the public interest). If some heavy/fast traffic could be diverted from arterial roads this should be of benefit for other road users, as well as put less pressure on the public purse. I'm aware that some people here think that the 'user pays' principle is something that should not even be mentioned but I think it's more just than 'everybody pays'. The worst option is to do nothing.

[SRW]

I don't like paying tolls either (always avoid them when I go interstate) but as long as there is a choice I see it it's the most fair option. Think about it: why should people who don't have/use a car pay for freeways? Why should folks in Wudinna finance more free flowing traffic across the metro area? Use petrol taxes and rego to build and maintain the public roads and let private enterprise help to get new projects under way (with govt subsidies if deemed to be in the public interest). If some heavy/fast traffic could be diverted from arterial roads this should be of benefit for other road users, as well as put less pressure on the public purse. I'm aware that some people here think that the 'user pays' principle is something that should not even be mentioned but I think it's more just than 'everybody pays'. The worst option is to do nothing.

I agree. In many ways, this is what makes the Northern Connector and the Superway perfect candidates for a toll.

[buildit83]

I'd be all for a toll road if it speeds up the development of the corridor. The other avantage of having a toll road is that more public money for other infrastructure projects will be available in the future.

[claybro]

Is any regular road user here against tolls in very specific situations? It seems only the timid politicians are agianst it. I have even heard the argument from certain pollies that no roadway in SA would generate enough traffic to make a toll feasable. What bollocks! I am still in favour of a levy on fuel in the METRO area and as Reb-L points out any major road developement will divert heavy traffic from other arterial roads, so everone would benefit, not just the tollway users.

[Waewick]

people have an issue with tolls that are forced upon you - that is an existing road or the only road to a destination is put on.

what we need it bipartisan support to find a route that could be completed on a toll and get the first one done (hopefully with the support of the transport industry)

once the first toll road is up and running and people can see the benefits, the issue will become less political in terms of losing votes.

The problem we have in Australia at the moment, is bi-partisan support is none existent and both parties are more focused on petty point scoring than actually moving SA forward.

For me, the extension of the Northern Connector should be a toll road, get the transport industry behind it and get cracking.

[drsmith]

Northern Connector is likely to be built in two stages, the first stage from the PR Expressway to Globe Derby Park, and then the second stage from Globe Derby Park to the Northern Expressway. Rumour has it that the rail component of the project has now been cancelled altogether for the time being, although they will still build the road corridor with the provision for the rail corridor at a much later date.

The first stage of a two stage road build would go to Bolivar Road I would have thought.

That's a relatively simple connection to Port Wakefield Road.

[[Shuz]]

Northern Connector is likely to be built in two stages, the first stage from the PR Expressway to Globe Derby Park, and then the second stage from Globe Derby Park to the Northern Expressway. Rumour has it that the rail component of the project has now been cancelled altogether for the time being, although they will still build the road corridor with the provision for the rail corridor at a much later date.

The first stage of a two stage road build would go to Bolivar Road I would have thought.

That's a relatively simple connection to Port Wakefield Road.

Basically the first stage is intended to link into Elder Smith Drive (the arterial road that feeds into Mawson Lakes). I imagine the reason for this as it would be a fairly cheap project to that keeps the 'infrastructure investment' momentum going and makes it look like something is being done. I can understand why Bolivar Road would be the more logical choice, however, part of the works require acquiring land which runs through the Bolivar Sewerage Treatment Plant, and therefore redirecting some of the services around that area which I imagine would a be a bit of a costly ordeal. Better to leave that for another day when the State has a bit more money.

[drsmith]

Basically the first stage is intended to link into Elder Smith Drive (the arterial road that feeds into Mawson Lakes). I imagine the reason for this as it would be a fairly cheap project to that keeps the 'infrastructure investment' momentum going and makes it look like something is being done. I can understand why Bolivar Road would be the more logical choice, however, part of the works require acquiring land which runs through the Bolivar Sewerage Treatment Plant, and therefore redirecting some of the services around that area which I imagine would a be a bit of a costly ordeal. Better to leave that for another day when the State has a bit more money.

That would require construction of the link road from the northern Connector to Port Wakefield Road which is not part of the current project.

http://www.infrastructure.sa.gov.au/__d ... change.jpg

I can visualise two new signalised intersections on that, one at Globe Derby Road and the other with Port Wakefield Road. The southern interchange itself would also be a major cost if built in all its glory regardless of any option further north.

In comparison, going to Bolivar Road requires only an upgrade to a single signalised intersection and the construction of a small section of northbound carriageway that is not otherwise part of the current project and it would avoid two other signalised intersections on Port Wakefield Road.

I'm not suprised though to hear discussion of project dissection or even complete delay. Two major road projects in Perth were going to go down this route after initially being proposed as single builds (Forrest Highway/Kwinana Freeway extension and the almost complete Great Eastern Highway Upgrade in Belmont), but the resources dollars kept flowing and both were constructed as single builds.

If SA (and the feds for that matter) are that broke thet they're down to the cheap and nasty, just upgrade the Sailsbury Highway to 6 lanes between South Road and Port Wakefield Road and build the Northern Connector when it can be done properly. That might be how it pans out.

As a side note, the WA government is going to apply for post 2014 federal infrastructure funding for a new freeway north of Perth to replace a section of Great Northern Highway through Swan Valley as the main road access to the north of the state.

http://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/Building ... arwin.aspx

I don't fancy their chances if funding for the the Northern Connector project is in this much trouble. The Northern Connector itself appears to be decending ever further from the 8-lane freeway with two railway tracks and an emenrgency services lane down the centre that was at one stage proposed.

[claybro]

I'm not suprised though to hear discussion of project dissection or even complete delay. Two major road projects in Perth were going to go down this route after initially being proposed as single builds (Forrest Highway/Kwinana Freeway extension and the almost complete Great Eastern Highway Upgrade in Belmont), but the resources dollars kept flowing and both were constructed as single builds.

Also because the WA government had the cods back in the 70's to introduce a fuel levy for freeway building, they do not have the huge backlog of works we have at far more inflated prices. Really...people keep saying WA freeways and transport and infastructure exists because of the resources boom. In reality the current resources boom has only funded developement of the last 15 or so years. because they commenced freeway and rail build 40 odd years ago, they are decades ahead of us, building onto what is already there, and a much less costly proposition.They had a plan for works, they had a plan for funding, they stuck to it. .. a lesson we just dont seem to be able to grasp.