[COM] Southern Expressway Duplication | $445m | 22km

[Archer]

I had thought that the plan was to have the construction of the Northern Interchange of the expressway coincide with the work through the Darlington area. Given the time frames for the planning study and other approvals for the Darlington section of South Road, is it still possible that this could happen? Especially since the Expressway duplication is not expected to be complete until what, 2014?

I'm more concerned that the proposed Grade separated Interchange at the southern end seems to have disappeared completely! What happened to that?

[AG]

I think some of you are jumping to conclusions here. The concept plan is hardly detailed enough to determine what the detailed project scope for the Southern Expressway duplication is.

[muzzamo]

I think some of you are jumping to conclusions here. The concept plan is hardly detailed enough to determine what the detailed project scope for the Southern Expressway duplication is.

Actually its a project impact report. And its definitely detailed enough to ascertain project scope, but not detailed enough to ascertain small details.

The grade separation of the North and South ends is not going to be included. The PIR is clear about that.

Have you guys actually seen the complexity of the darlington transport study? And to the person saying not grade separating the Northern end would be a waste, how so? You are talking about maybe a $50,000 intersection with traffic lights.

[Aidan]

Southern Expressway information sessions
Monday, 9 May 2011 - OMPI

A series of community information days on the Southern Expressway duplication will be held later this month.

The meetings follow the recent release of the Southern Expressway Project Impact Report, which evaluates the social, environmental and economic benefits of the project.

Feedback, views and opinions are being sought from the community before the project is finalised for approval.

The report can be viewed at several locations around the project area, online ( http://www.infrastructure.sa.gov.au/con ... blications ) or at one of the scheduled community nformation sessions. Representatives from the department will be at the sessions to answer questions.

The community information sessions will be held on:

Saturday, 14 May, 9.00 am – 2.00 pm
South Adelaide Football Club, 1 Lovelock Drive, Noarlunga Downs

Wednesday, 18 May, 4.00 pm – 8.00 pm
Marion Sports and Community Club, 262 Sturt Road, Marion

I went to that information session, but found out only one thing: It will be a design and construct contract, and the government intend to leave all the details to the contractors. Contrary to previous reports that it would be constructed in stages from the southern end first, now they even intend to leave that up to the contractors.

And that's a huge mistake IMO. The southern end is urgently needed, but the middle section isn't.

[Norman]

The Darlington Transport Interchange might be further away than we think, DTEI have said that the Queensland floods have delayed the project eventuating. Same with the Northern Connector, which is ready to go, just awaiting federal funding for construction. For both projects it's pretty much waiting Infrastructure Australia's green light as soon as funds are available.

[jase111]

What is the next step for this project and what's the latest news on darlington transport study is it still separate
To the southern expressway

[Norman]

What is the next step for this project and what's the latest news on darlington transport study is it still separate
To the southern expressway

Yes they are still seperate. The Expressway duplication is going ahead and has been planned, the transport interchange is still in design and concept stage.

[jase111]

just thought this would be good reading
Transport Minister Patrick Conlon has said the decision to duplicate the expressway was brought forward, in part, because it would be too costly and wasteful to connect the interchange to a one-way expressway and then modify it later to fit a two-way road. If the expressway remained one way, a section of road would be built to carry city-bound traffic off the expressway on to Main South Rd.

[Port Adelaide Fan]

New Southern Expressway freeway Darlington interchange scrapped

THE State Government has scrapped a key part of its promised Southern Expressway upgrade the $75 million Darlington interchange.

The Darlington overpass and slipway were announced before the last state election as part of Labor's $445 million commitment to duplicate the one-way Southern Expressway.

In evidence to a Parliamentary committee this morning, Department of Transport chief executive Rod Hook said the current tender process did not include the Darlington works, which had been shelved.

He said the Department was in the process of procuring a contractor for the remaining $370 million duplication works.

"Our preference would be and would have been to have had Commonwealth funding for a Darlington project," Mr Hook said.

"Our prospect of getting funds for that development as we had designed for Darlington are unrealistic, I don't think we will get those funds (so) we will have to come up with a more modest solution."

more

[jase111]

This was the quote from mike rann on 17 th feb


Source: AdelaideNow

Traffic on Adelaide's one-way Southern Expressway, which will be duplicated under a plan announced by Premier Mike Rann.
Source: AdelaideNow
PREMIER Mike Rann says he will end the "farcical one-way regime" and embark on a $445 million duplication of the Southern Expressway.

The upgrade will allow traffic to flow in both directions. Construction is expected to begin by the end of next year and be completed by 2014.

In a bizarre chain of events, Mr Rann appeared to trump Opposition Leader Isobel Redmond, who had scheduled an announcement on the Southern Expressway this afternoon.

Mr Rann said the duplication was part of planning measures in the State Government's final 30-year Plan For Greater Adelaide, which was released today.


SOUTHERN EXPRESSWAY
Is the Southern Expressway duplication announcement more likely to make you vote Labor?


Yes, it is long overdue
No, there are other priorities
Unsure, arguments both ways
VOTE NOW
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What the project involves

The project includes a new $75 million interchange at Darlington.

"In planning a major interchange transport hub at Darlington, the next priority for the north-south corridor development, we were confronted with the prospect of having to build a $50 million section of road that would have to be pulled up when the Southern Expressway was eventually duplicated," Mr Rann said.

"The Southern Expressway presented a planning nightmare for those trying to design the Darlington interchange.

"Duplication of this expressway was an inevitable project that this Government has brought forward so that we can integrate our transport infrastructure, without wasting millions on interim measures.

"The original Southern Expressway is the perfect example of an interim measure that was badly planned, poorly designed and hugely expensive to fix."

If the expressway - planned and built under Liberal governments - had been built as a two-way road in 2001, it would have cost an extra $68 million but today the price tag will be $370 million, Mr Rann said.

"But fix it we must. And this time, unlike the Liberals, we will get it right."

[cruel_world00]

I'm confused. Has the rag taken the negative approach again to something that actually makes sense OR have the Labor government dropped the ball on this one?

Explain please.

[Aidan]

I'm confused. Has the rag taken the negative approach again to something that actually makes sense OR have the Labor government dropped the ball on this one?

Explain please.

A bit of both, but mainly the latter. In the absence of grade separation at Bedford Park, the benefits of grade separation at Darlington would be small and it makes sense to delay it. But the grossly overengineered plans they had for Bedford Park were a stupid waste of money, and it's hardly surprising that the Federal government was unwilling to fund it.

[rhino]

New Southern Expressway freeway Darlington interchange scrapped

........

In evidence to a Parliamentary committee this morning, Department of Transport chief executive Rod Hook said the current tender process did not include the Darlington works, which had been shelved.

The Advertiser is such a rag! A blatant lie in the headline followed by a contradiction in the text.

Pat Conlon, on ABC radio this morning, said that no funding has been removed from this project. Instead, the design is being re-assesed in light of federal funds, which had been leaning heavily towards infrastrucure, being diverted to disaster relief following the Queensland floods etc, resulting in South Road not looking like it will be ready for the original interchange plan.

..... the grossly overengineered plans they had for Bedford Park were a stupid waste of money, and it's hardly surprising that the Federal government was unwilling to fund it.

Do you have evidence that this is the reason for funding not being forthcoming, or is this just your opinion?

[Aidan]

Do you have evidence that this is the reason for funding not being forthcoming, or is this just your opinion?

Just my opinion... but do you have any reason to doubt that raising the cost of projects deters the Federal government from funding them?

[rhino]

do you have any reason to doubt that raising the cost of projects deters the Federal government from funding them?

In this case Federal Funding was never offered, as far as I am aware. It was assumed that funding would be forthcoming, as there seemed to be a lot of money being offered for infrastructure projects, and South Australia was doing quite well out of that (Pat Conlon's words). Then along came the Queensland Flood Disaster and Cyclone Yasi, and infrastructure funding seemed to dry up as disaster funding grew. The SA govt made an incorrect assumption that the South Road project would attract federal funding, and based their Darlington Interchange on that. The federal funding was nort available, the South Road project will not be going ahead in the short term, and therefore the Darlington Interchange, as originally designed, would be a waste of money. State funding for the interchange has not been pulled, but a redesign of the interchange is required.