[U/C] Port Adelaide Dock Spur Line

[Patrick_27]

So a $40m price tag is too much for something that has already been promised and there is a lot riding on this project going ahead meanwhile the government have promised $98m for an upgrade of the Magill Road/Port Rush Road intersection which is total funding overkill.

[SBD]

So a $40m price tag is too much for something that has already been promised and there is a lot riding on this project going ahead meanwhile the government have promised $98m for an upgrade of the Magill Road/Port Rush Road intersection which is total funding overkill.

I have not seen an explanation of why the Magill Road intersection is disproportionately more expensive than any of the other intersection upgrades, nor has it yet been made public what aspect of the Port Adelaide railway spur was so badly underestimated (or completely missed).

Whoever made that mistake is going to keep quiet about it, whichever organisation they work for. Their boss who signed off on it is unlikely to want to expose them either. There would be a few people, possibly in each of PTP, DPTI and government who have VERY red faces.

[rev]

So a $40m price tag is too much for something that has already been promised and there is a lot riding on this project going ahead meanwhile the government have promised $98m for an upgrade of the Magill Road/Port Rush Road intersection which is total funding overkill.

I have not seen an explanation of why the Magill Road intersection is disproportionately more expensive than any of the other intersection upgrades, nor has it yet been made public what aspect of the Port Adelaide railway spur was so badly underestimated (or completely missed).

Whoever made that mistake is going to keep quiet about it, whichever organisation they work for. Their boss who signed off on it is unlikely to want to expose them either. There would be a few people, possibly in each of PTP, DPTI and government who have VERY red faces.

PT project by Labor in Labor working class heart land gets cancelled by Liberals, Liberals announce over priced intersection upgrade in eastern suburbs Liberal heart land that will quite possibly give us something not even the oil rich gulf states have, actual gold plated traffic lights with diamond encrusted signals.

[I Follow PAFC]

[Spotto]

Figures from the budget quoted by the Premier's website:

[*]Ovingham Crossing (Torrens Road) = $231 million
[*]Hove Crossing (Brighton Road) = $171 million
[*]Portrush/Magill Road intersection = $98 million
[*]Fullarton/Cross Road intersection = $61 million
[*]Goodwood/Springbank/Daws Road intersection = $60 million
and announced in March,
[*]Glen Osmond/Fullarton Road intersection = $61 million (50-50 split between feds and state)

How can other focus intersection upgrades be projected to cost under $65m while Portrush/Magill costs around one and a half times that much? What's so special about it verus the other projects will deliver similar results?

[Goodsy]

Figures from the budget quoted by the Premier's website:

[*]Ovingham Crossing (Torrens Road) = $231 million
[*]Hove Crossing (Brighton Road) = $171 million
[*]Portrush/Magill Road intersection = $98 million
[*]Fullarton/Cross Road intersection = $61 million
[*]Goodwood/Springbank/Daws Road intersection = $60 million
and announced in March,
[*]Glen Osmond/Fullarton Road intersection = $61 million (50-50 split between feds and state)

How can other focus intersection upgrades be projected to cost under $65m while Portrush/Magill costs around one and a half times that much? What's so special about it verus the other projects will deliver similar results?

just spitballing, but might have something to do with the substation on the corner. I imagine service relocations would be a nightmare

[OlympusAnt]

That spur line is/was a typical DPTI white elephant that shafted the NRM. No need for 2 stations within 400m of each other and the NRM lost their tracks. They'd already lost enough after the 1995 conversion.

Those intersection costs though - when you've gotta pay those lollypop workers 70 bucks an hour to stand around, no wonder it costs so much. Shouldn't cost 70 mill just to move some bitumen and concrete around.

[SBD]

That spur line is/was a typical DPTI white elephant that shafted the NRM. No need for 2 stations within 400m of each other and the NRM lost their tracks. They'd already lost enough after the 1995 conversion.

Those intersection costs though - when you've gotta pay those lollypop workers 70 bucks an hour to stand around, no wonder it costs so much. Shouldn't cost 70 mill just to move some bitumen and concrete around.

I imagine it could make for cheaper staff costs if barriers were erected across the road at the next intersection back in each of the four directions, and work was only done during one shift on weekdays, at standard working hours with no out-of-hours or overtime. The solid barriers mean no lollipop workers required, and it should be done in not much over three times as long. Only working day shift means no hired work lights. Traffic can find an alternate route, or just stay home until the works are over. Lollipop workers are responsible for more than just "stand around".

[Bob]

The Woodville-Grange branch line will be the next likely target as not viable from some inside the Liberal party.

There will try on an argument that buses do the job and the $$$ required to keep this branch line open are too high.

[PeFe]

Run Woodville-Grange as a spur line only from the main Outer Harbour line and increase the day time frequency to every 20 minutes......give it some good marketing and see if you can increase passenger numbers.......even with the crappiest run down railway station along the route.

[Nort]

Figures from the budget quoted by the Premier's website:

[*]Ovingham Crossing (Torrens Road) = $231 million
[*]Hove Crossing (Brighton Road) = $171 million
[*]Portrush/Magill Road intersection = $98 million
[*]Fullarton/Cross Road intersection = $61 million
[*]Goodwood/Springbank/Daws Road intersection = $60 million
and announced in March,
[*]Glen Osmond/Fullarton Road intersection = $61 million (50-50 split between feds and state)

How can other focus intersection upgrades be projected to cost under $65m while Portrush/Magill costs around one and a half times that much? What's so special about it verus the other projects will deliver similar results?

just spitballing, but might have something to do with the substation on the corner. I imagine service relocations would be a nightmare

It's gonna require a decent chunk of property acquisition as well, possibly including commercial properties.

[rev]

Those intersection costs though - when you've gotta pay those lollypop workers 70 bucks an hour to stand around, no wonder it costs so much.

They don't get paid $70/hour.

[how good is he]

Yes Nort thats my only thought for the reason the numbers may seem high is if they include significant resumptions of properties/businesses near the intersections? ie Payout figures to businesses & owners forced to move.

[OlympusAnt]

Those intersection costs though - when you've gotta pay those lollypop workers 70 bucks an hour to stand around, no wonder it costs so much.

They don't get paid $70/hour.

whatever they do get paid, its easy money

[SouthAussie94]

Those intersection costs though - when you've gotta pay those lollypop workers 70 bucks an hour to stand around, no wonder it costs so much.

They don't get paid $70/hour.

They'd come pretty close to that on weekends. Pretty standard construction award penalty rates are:

Saturday: 1.5x for the first 3 hours and 2x after 3 hours.
Sunday: 2x all day

Good money for what it is.

Saying that, traffic controllers do have to handle a fair amount of crap from motorists and while it may not be back breaking work, it definitely isn't as easy as it may seem.