[COM] M2 Northern Connector | 15.5km | $867m

[SBD]

Can someone please explain the arrangement with service centres in context of the Northern Connector?

Did the Government deem it necessary that at some point along the NC there should be a fuel stop, with the easiest way of achieving this designing the off ramp to go right past the OTR?

or

Did Peregrine pay the Government a lot of money to design the interchange with the OTR in mind?

Probably a whole host of things led to Bolivars design.

The Holiday Park
OTR
Bolivar treatment plant
White Horse Inn

weaving it through the Gordian knot was probably the cheapest option

I think the caravan park meant that it was not feasible to have a southbound offramp link to Bolivar Road. It would be too tight to meet the speed expectation. I suspect the rest of the design follows from that.

Another option might have been to put the main interchange at Hodgson Road (and hence keep the old entrance to the water treatment), but then we would complain that it didn't meet Bolivar Road.

Northbound is interesting. That OTR is not practical to access. After crossing the River Torrens, the Caltex in Wingfield might be signposted from the exit near Regency Road, but isn't visible. The next convenience/fuel outlet on the left is either Dublin (on PWR) or Truro (on Sturt Highway, with a proposal for a new one at Nuriootpa). A new service centre around Waterloo Corner could look attractive to someone in future. The good sites I've noticed interstate and overseas are on a hill next to the highway, but there aren't any natural hills on the west side of the highway until well past Gawler.

[Goodsy]

Can someone please explain the arrangement with service centres in context of the Northern Connector?

Did the Government deem it necessary that at some point along the NC there should be a fuel stop, with the easiest way of achieving this designing the off ramp to go right past the OTR?

or

Did Peregrine pay the Government a lot of money to design the interchange with the OTR in mind?

Probably a whole host of things led to Bolivars design.

The Holiday Park
OTR
Bolivar treatment plant
White Horse Inn

weaving it through the Gordian knot was probably the cheapest option

I think the caravan park meant that it was not feasible to have a southbound offramp link to Bolivar Road. It would be too tight to meet the speed expectation. I suspect the rest of the design follows from that.

Another option might have been to put the main interchange at Hodgson Road (and hence keep the old entrance to the water treatment), but then we would complain that it didn't meet Bolivar Road.

Northbound is interesting. That OTR is not practical to access. After crossing the River Torrens, the Caltex in Wingfield might be signposted from the exit near Regency Road, but isn't visible. The next convenience/fuel outlet on the left is either Dublin (on PWR) or Truro (on Sturt Highway, with a proposal for a new one at Nuriootpa). A new service centre around Waterloo Corner could look attractive to someone in future. The good sites I've noticed interstate and overseas are on a hill next to the highway, but there aren't any natural hills on the west side of the highway until well past Gawler.

OTR has (or had) plans to build a new station at Two Wells on Middle Beach Road

https://www.plainsproducer.com.au/2018/ ... -bp-servo/

[SBD]

Probably a whole host of things led to Bolivars design.

The Holiday Park
OTR
Bolivar treatment plant
White Horse Inn

weaving it through the Gordian knot was probably the cheapest option

I think the caravan park meant that it was not feasible to have a southbound offramp link to Bolivar Road. It would be too tight to meet the speed expectation. I suspect the rest of the design follows from that.

Another option might have been to put the main interchange at Hodgson Road (and hence keep the old entrance to the water treatment), but then we would complain that it didn't meet Bolivar Road.

Northbound is interesting. That OTR is not practical to access. After crossing the River Torrens, the Caltex in Wingfield might be signposted from the exit near Regency Road, but isn't visible. The next convenience/fuel outlet on the left is either Dublin (on PWR) or Truro (on Sturt Highway, with a proposal for a new one at Nuriootpa). A new service centre around Waterloo Corner could look attractive to someone in future. The good sites I've noticed interstate and overseas are on a hill next to the highway, but there aren't any natural hills on the west side of the highway until well past Gawler.

OTR has (or had) plans to build a new station at Two Wells on Middle Beach Road

https://www.plainsproducer.com.au/2018/ ... -bp-servo/

That article says OTR was going to renovate its existing outlet in Two Wells township, and someone else had approval to build on the corner of Middle Beach Road.

The OTR redevelopment sounds like what they have gradually been doing to most of the country BP service stations they bought as a job lot a few years ago. They are being converted from old-fashioned service stations to modern convenience stores. X-Convenience and AM/PM are pretty much the same business model too.

Google Streetview shows that the Middle Beach Road site was sold in 2014, and had a sign up about the proposed service station in 2017 and 2018, but no sign at all (or development) in the 2019 photo. If it was proposed by the manager of the Port Wakefield BP, he obviously saw the opportunity for a facility on that side of the highway in that area. I wonder what has happened to the proposal now.

Looking at Google overhead view, I wonder if there is a potential development site next to the Northern Connector south of Symes Road, just before the decision point to use Northern Expressway or Port Wakefield Road.

[marbles]

hello march!! we must be close to an opening surely?

[Hooligan]

hello march!! we must be close to an opening surely?

NEXY is closed tomorrow to resurface the southbound lanes onto the NC. This must be the last step surely?

[ChillyPhilly]

hello march!! we must be close to an opening surely?

NEXY is closed tomorrow to resurface the southbound lanes onto the NC. This must be the last step surely?

It'd be great if Salisbury Highway was resurfaced between the Motorway/NC and Port Wakefield Road. The surface is appalling.

[SBD]

hello march!! we must be close to an opening surely?

NEXY is closed tomorrow to resurface the southbound lanes onto the NC. This must be the last step surely?

It'd be great if Salisbury Highway was resurfaced between the Motorway/NC and Port Wakefield Road. The surface is appalling.

Imagine the noise of the whingers if that was closed for major works (I expect it needs to be dug deeper than just adding a topcoat) at the same time as all the Northern Connector roadworks. The road will be much less busy once the new road opens, so much less outcry to fix it. MacIntyre Road Road is just as bad, and getting fixed in nightworks now. Hopefully they will move on to Salisbury Highway next.

[bits]

McIntyre Road has always had significant problems. It gets cut back and new bitumen every few years to relevel it. The same work will likely be due again by 2023.
Clearly the road has structural problems but no one has done better than continued patch work to relevel.

[Brucetiki]

McIntyre Road has always had significant problems. It gets cut back and new bitumen every few years to relevel it. The same work will likely be due again by 2023.
Clearly the road has structural problems but no one has done better than continued patch work to relevel.

The soil around that area is notoriously bad. Would that play a role in McIntyre Rd's surface issues?

[Hooligan]

More night closures tonight and tomorrow night on the superway for barrier and gantry installation. Northbound closure tonight and southbound closure tomorrow night.

[SBD]

McIntyre Road has always had significant problems. It gets cut back and new bitumen every few years to relevel it. The same work will likely be due again by 2023.
Clearly the road has structural problems but no one has done better than continued patch work to relevel.

The soil around that area is notoriously bad. Would that play a role in McIntyre Rd's surface issues?

Probably. It needs to be dug out much deeper and have a solid base built in - perhaps now we have experience building concrete roads that might be a solution.

[Eurostar]

McIntyre Road has always had significant problems. It gets cut back and new bitumen every few years to relevel it. The same work will likely be due again by 2023.
Clearly the road has structural problems but no one has done better than continued patch work to relevel.

I'm not sure if connected or not but Womma Road in between Andrews Road and Argent Road had roadworks today, looks like new gutters
The soil around that area is notoriously bad. Would that play a role in McIntyre Rd's surface issues?

Probably. It needs to be dug out much deeper and have a solid base built in - perhaps now we have experience building concrete roads that might be a solution.

[alexczarn]

hello march!! we must be close to an opening surely?

NEXY is closed tomorrow to resurface the southbound lanes onto the NC. This must be the last step surely?

Opens this Saturday.

[Hooligan]

hello march!! we must be close to an opening surely?

NEXY is closed tomorrow to resurface the southbound lanes onto the NC. This must be the last step surely?

Opens this Saturday.

Serious? Thats fantastic. I can't wait to stop driving down Port Wakefield road.

[alexczarn]

NEXY is closed tomorrow to resurface the southbound lanes onto the NC. This must be the last step surely?

Opens this Saturday.

Serious? Thats fantastic. I can't wait to stop driving down Port Wakefield road.

I'll be roadtripping for a suss.