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

[Will]

The Premier has said a few times that there will be no tolls roads while Labor are running the state. I think the only way there will be tolls in SA is if the Liberals get in at the next election and they get a private company in to build a new motorway, then it will be a tollway.

He also said there would be no more privatisations....

A toll road is just as likely under a Labor or Liberal government.

[Waewick]

that was a rather strange comment my metro

[DM8]

IMO I very much doubt it will be a toll road. That's not to say that it definitely won't be a PPP - Peninsula Link in Victoria is an example whereby motorists are spared a toll but the government (ie taxpayers) will pay an agreed amount to the consortium based on whether a number of KPIs are met (actually, the SA government has already gone ahead with this arrangement for the new RAH).

It would be damn near impossible for private enterprise to get any ROI from a toll on motorists given the extremely close proximity of Port Wakefield Rd, and downright foolish of any government to impose tolls if it expects people to get traffic off Port Wakefield Rd.

[[Shuz]]

You raise a very good point DM8 - however, that would apply under the current circumstances.

The State Government could just reduce the speed limits to 60kph on Port Wakefield Road (PWR), encourage further development on the road's west side to induce increased traffic movement on the road itself - therefore making it a less desirable option to travel on/through for other motorists, in order to justify having tolls on the Connector to those who desire the convinience of quicker travel.

[DM8]

True - I had considered that, and indeed they could do that to Port Wakefield Rd, but then they'd end up facing a similar sort of community protest as with the modifications to William St, Sydney following the opening of the Cross City Tunnel (apples and oranges, yes I know, but this is Adelaide - any measure aimed at directing motorists on to a toll road, however slight, is going to attract complaints)

No mention of tolls in this article today:
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 6097976388

Noisy freight trains nudged out of north

A NEW transport corridor that will remove all noisy rail freight from Adelaide's northern suburbs has moved a step closer with the release of detailed plans and a route for the $1.19 billion project.

The proposed dual-purpose Northern Connector will run from Wingfield to the Northern Expressway on the western side of Port Wakefield Rd.

Depending on the funding, work on the 15km multi-laned freeway and a 31km rail line in the city's north-west could start in 2015.

The dual transport corridor has already been listed as a priority by the Federal Government and identified as a project of national significance by Infrastructure Australia.

Transport Minister Patrick Conlon said he was confident of winning federal funds for the project, which has a construction timeframe of about three years.

"The new rail link will, in the short to medium term, significantly reduce the freight rail travelling through resi- dential northern suburbs and link it directly to Outer Harbor," he said.

"The great opportunity with this project is we get to significantly improve heavy vehicle traffic efficiency and, at the same time, significantly reduce the volume of noisy rail from suburbs that have long had to endure the passing freight trains."

Mr Conlon said that in the longer term, the Government would work with industry to remove all rail freight from the northern residential suburbs.

"We are now at a point where a comprehensive three-year planning study has identified a preferred path for both the road and rail - a key stage in the process to secure funding for the project," he said.

The expressway, which will have three lanes in each direction, will join the Northern Expressway and Port Wakefield Rd interchange at Waterloo Corner with the Port River Expressway at the South Rd Superway interchange at Wingfield.

The rail track for freight trains, which will also carry the Ghan and Indian Pacific, will connect to the existing line at Kings Rd, Virginia and the Outer Harbor line at Dry Creek providing a more direct route for grain and mining resources for export from the port of Adelaide.

Mr Conlon said it would enable train speeds of up to 115 km/h, providing an efficient link between Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne.

The rail line will be raised on an embankment to flood-proof the infrastructure. The Northern Connector will also deliver a 3m-wide path for cyclists and pedestrians.

[[Shuz]]

Animation of the new Northern Connector Project.



DTEI information on the project has been updated.

http://www.infrastructure.sa.gov.au/nor ... or/content

[DM8]

A few things that stand out from the earlier proposals:

• Reduced from 4 to 3 lanes in each direction
• Reduced from dual track to single track
• Rail now positioned along the western side of the road instead of in the median

[Waewick]

the change to the roadway would be to match the existing northern connector I would imagine.

[DM8]

Another thing I've noticed - removal of access to the Northern Expressway from Pt Wakefield Rd northbound. Bugger!

[marquisite]

It seems the boliver interchange has been 'simplified' into a single south-bound on-ramp. The 2008 plans showed both on and off ramps for both carriageways. The St Kilda interchange has had its south-bound off-ramp removed.

The globe derby park interchange has been removed completely, although the rail line is skewed away from the Expressway slightly around this location - maybe the plan is to put in on/off ramps later for the Globe Derby park area. But not to the specifications from the 2008 plan as there just won't be enough room for the northbound on-ramp.

[drsmith]

A northbound off ramp at Bolivar and the Globe Derby interchange are catered for in the planning, but are not expected to be added until after 2031.

http://210.247.132.180/alt-host/assets/ ... y_2011.PDF

Overall, it does appear the bean counters have reviewed the engineers earlier extravagances and waved the finger on cost. Still, it's an impressive looking project.

Is the Bolivar stinkworks being closed/relocated ?
There's no access to the site once this is built (assuming workers there are not expected to leap on/off the carriages of freight trains travelling at up to 115km/hr).

Table 1. Indicative project timeframes:

Concept design (preferred route) 2009
EIA process and fi nalisation of proposed route 2010–October 2011
Minister approval of proposed route November 2011

If funding obtained:
Land acquisition and pre-construction works 2013-14
Detailed design and construction 2014-17
Open Northern Connector 2017

http://210.247.132.180/alt-host/assets/ ... y_2011.PDF

Conctruction is expected to take 36 months.

[drsmith]

The scaling back of some elements of the project has resulted in significant cost savings, from $2bn to $1.19bn if the following article is correct on the now estimated cost.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 6097976388

[drsmith]

Could this project become an election promise from the major parties ?

Mr Abbott says there will also be promises for a project in Adelaide and for the Bruce and Pacific Highways announced before the election.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-30/a ... .svl=news0

Also of interest, with the current incarnation, if you make a blue southbound and miss the exit at Port Wakefield Road, you don't get another chance to get off until the Port River Expressway and even then, you can only exit towards Port Adelaide. You won't be able to exit left till Grand Junction road.

[jase111]

Freight Access to Port of Adelaide – Northern Connector (South Australian Government)
The Port of Adelaide is expected to experience continuing growth in freight volumes, placing pressure on the efficiency of freight movements to and from the port by road and rail. The South Australian Government is proposing road and rail link between the port and intermodal terminals at Penfield in the north of Adelaide. The proposed link includes:
• 30.9 kilometre grade separated, freight rail track between Virginia, Dry Creek and Port Adelaide and consisting of a new 24.7 kilometre north-south link for Perth to Melbourne freight trains;
• twin two kilometre passing loops;
• removal of up to 12 existing railway crossings;
• a 15.6 kilometre six lane (three lanes in each direction) Northern Connector road joining the Northern Expressway to the Port River Expressway;
• overpass connections across the expressway; • entry to the expressway via interchanges; and • shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians. The project is estimated to cost $1.191 billion.

This was also on the2012 infrastructure priority list still no time frame

[Amused]

Another thing I've noticed - removal of access to the Northern Expressway from Pt Wakefield Rd northbound. Bugger!

I don't think that Pt Wakefield access to the northern connector was planned even under the original proposal. I even wrote in wondering if it was a mistake but never heard back. Just one more reason why it would be highly unethical to turn the Northern Connector into a toll road, because now your catchment is extended after forcing northbound Pt Wakefield traffic onto a ridiculous detour to end up on the connector before the Pt Wakefield/Northern Expressway exchange. I really hope this is review prior to the final build. I can't think of a logical reason of why restricting Pt Wakefield to Norther Expressway is a good idea after construction of the connector.