[U/C] M2 North-South Motorway

[Norman]

will the speed limit be 100 once its non stop?

No, it will remain at 80km/h. The road is designed for 90km/h, but the limit is always 10km/h lower than the design speed.

The 80km/h limit is common across many of the other inner urban freeways in Australia, including in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

Pretty sure the metropolitan ring road is 100, at least it was the last time I drove on it.

It is, but that's suburban. The Monash, West Gate Freeway, City Link and so on are all 80km/h in the vicinity of the CBD.

[HeapsGood]

Any inclination in future to lengthen the Marion Rd bridge to be 3 lanes in both directions? Disappointing there is a lane merge before the bridge for southbound traffic.

[SBD]

Any inclination in future to lengthen the Marion Rd bridge to be 3 lanes in both directions? Disappointing there is a lane merge before the bridge for southbound traffic.

(My source is Google Maps, so might be a little out of date)

The Seacombe Road bridge has three lanes under it. These currently come from two-into-one turning off of Marion Road and three-into-two coming from Main South Road.

It looks like the plan on the DPTI website currently still has two lanes from Marion Road merging with the two from South Road/North South Motorway. Those two are drawn from the three in the trench and one from the surface South Road.

Widening the bridge looks fairly expensive to move a lane merge a couple of hundred metres. I'd rather spend that on Emerson crossing, or if it turns out Gallipoli underpass needs extra work.

[drsmith]

There's enough width on the southbound bridge over Marion Road to support an additional lane and also onward to the Reynella exit using existing shoulder/emergency stopping lane space and operating that section of road carriageway as a managed motorway.

This will be done on a section of Kwinana Freeway northbound approaching the CBD in Perth. Essentially, the emergency stopping lane is being converted into an additional traffic lane and traffic management installed as it is prohibitively expensive to widen that section of road pavement.

[claybro]

There's enough width on the southbound bridge over Marion Road to support an additional lane and also onward to the Reynella exit using existing shoulder/emergency stopping lane space and operating that section of road carriageway as a managed motorway.

This will be done on a section of Kwinana Freeway northbound approaching the CBD in Perth. Essentially, the emergency stopping lane is being converted into an additional traffic lane and traffic management installed as it is prohibitively expensive to widen that section of road pavement.

The use of emergency lanes for general traffic seems to be becoming more common. I'm in 2 minds with this. The Northbridge tunnels also in Perth had the emergency lanes removed to make the tunnels 3 lanes each way. It would seem down the track possible the Gallipoli underpass may require the same treatment. The Northbridge tunnel situation is generally working well, except naturally in a breakdown situation-but I have noticed in peak periods they have permanent "shunt" vehicles stationed at both tunnels. I'm not sure of the statistics of how well or otherwise this works, but I guess for 99 percent of the time of no breakdowns it works fine to improve traffic flow.

[Norman]

While we're on Perth, I was surprised how little ITS equipment and managed motorway there is over there. Sounds like they are finally moving into that direction though, which is good to see.

[rev]

September quarter property sales figures year on year..

CROYDON $568,000 $636,000 +11.97%
WEST CROYDON $525,000 > $611,750 +16.52%
WEST HINDMARSH $624,000 >$682,000 +9.29%

So much for a motorway/freeway creating ghettos.

[how good is he]

Can I ask Rev who said motorways did? No big deal but I think these suburbs capital growth could relate to any suburb close to the city going up in value every year..It would be a similar growth for Mile End etc

[rev]

Can I ask Rev who said motorways did? No big deal but I think these suburbs capital growth could relate to any suburb close to the city going up in value every year..It would be a similar growth for Mile End etc

Renown Park dripped year on year for the quarter.

I was referring to the old argument against MATS, before most of us where born(I think). The big argument people cite was that people were opposed to the freeways and motorways because it would carve up the city and create ghettos like Los Angeles(ignoring the socioeconomic and gang/drug problems in LA). In hindsight parts of the southern and northern suburbs aren’t flash and are or have been by Australian standards “ghettos”. And inner suburb Brompton and by extension Bowden and Ridleyton and to a smaller extent Renown Park weren’t exactly ideal areas and had their fair share of problems.

[Norman]

I think the construction of freeways is a lot better these days then it was 50 years ago. A lot more sensitive and considered towards the existing environment, a lot more landscaping and so forth.

[claybro]

I think there very definitely were people even on this forum that thought this expressway was the devil incarnate, and communities would collapse if nana couldn't walk across South Road with her shopping cart. In Reality the old South road is/was a blight on the landscape and the treatment so far is a vast improvement aesthetically to what was there. The MATS plan however was in hindsight overkill. And would have significantly damaged some of Adelaides most historic and quaint suburbs. I think we have a good compromise.

[how good is he]

I think it was long overdue and doubt why anyone on here wouldn’t have supported it. If only they could announce a plan to finish the last 10.5 km soon. Realistically I know funding will take time but they need to get everything costed to ask for the funding. I hope the tunnel costing is announced soon as this method would save years of resumption/demolition, roadworks, construction etc etc if approved.

[Eurostar]

Commercial traffic from the hills to port adelaide and southern vales to port adelaide would love a faster roads than the current roads.

[muzzamo]

One thing to consider is that tunneling projects have a very long lead time to order the TBMs etc - I.e. 4 year lead times.

If this study recommends the tunnel route I reckon they will kick off two projects - a 2-4km elevated/sunk section that can be completed in a shorter horizon as well as a contract signing on the tunnelled section with a 7 year horizon.

[how good is he]

Do you mean a 4 year wait to build and receive a TBM or a 4 year wait to book one in/lease one?