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

[SBD]

I didn't think he mentioned an open day in the report, but he did mention it should open in February 2020.

Peak hour traffic is pretty much non-existant around that area over Christmas/New Year, and traffic around that area is generally lighter in January as well. Hopefully by the time traffic is back to the car park levels you get at the moment the road is all but ready to open.

Any closure of the northbound PWR->NExy ramp before the whole northbound NC opens needs to be done at the quietest possible time to manage traffic on any diversion detours such as Heaslip Road or Angle Vale Road.

Road trains are generally not permitted to travel northbound on Heaslip Road between Waterloo Corner Road and Penfield Road. I don't know if the restriction is for traffic management, sight lines or road widths. They do now travel up the Northern Expressway and the nearest general detour on RAVNet would be via Port Wakefield, Balaklava and Mallala. That's a long detour to get to the Barossa or Riverland!

The week between Christmas-New Year would be the ideal time for that, but that'll be during the site shutdown over that period.

Next best option would be the first week back from break.

I imagine that site shutdown may be negotiable (for appropriate compensation). Nobody here has admitted to any inside knowledge of detailed timelines or sequencing. I imagine that northbound will open before southbound, but cannot guess if that is by hours, days or weeks, nor if it will be staged.

[SBD]

We travelled up Port Wakefield Road after dark tonight, and detoured over the Waterloo Corner Road bridge. The street lights are lit on the Northern Connector around the Waterloo Corner interchange as well as over the northbound carriageway (or perhaps the off ramp to PWR) near the northern interchange. The northbound off ramp to Waterloo Corner Road was blocked off at both ends, but the others only blocked at the Waterloo Corner Road end.

[Goodsy]

SA Water now has access to the Bolivar treatment plant via the Bolivar road overpass. Line marking is underway on the new northbound PWR bridge at the northern interchange

[Goodsy]

double post, but northbound Port Wakefield Road has now switched onto the new bridge at the northern interchange

[Norman]

The South Road Superway will close from 2-13 January to install new signage and resurfacing works at the Southern Interchange.

[TrebleSketch]

double post, but northbound Port Wakefield Road has now switched onto the new bridge at the northern interchange

Is anyone able to take some ground photos of the progress so far? How close is the construction to this? (without the "temporary" on-ramp)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_00LpYgFHw&t=1m26s

Always wondered why they haven't considered adding an on-ramp from PWR to NC on the northern intersection. Especially as I'd imagine Waterloo Corner Rd might get quite busy o.o

I think this might've been asked earlier, but does anyone have a clue as to why they didn't have more through roads along the NC between the Northern Interchange and Waterloo Interchange?

[SBD]

double post, but northbound Port Wakefield Road has now switched onto the new bridge at the northern interchange

Is anyone able to take some ground photos of the progress so far? How close is the construction to this? (without the "temporary" on-ramp)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_00LpYgFHw&t=1m26s

Always wondered why they haven't considered adding an on-ramp from PWR to NC on the northern intersection. Especially as I'd imagine Waterloo Corner Rd might get quite busy o.o

I think this might've been asked earlier, but does anyone have a clue as to why they didn't have more through roads along the NC between the Northern Interchange and Waterloo Interchange?

That looks exactly like what is being built. It does include southbound access from PWR to NC (over the bridge, keep right, under the northbound PWR). What is missing is northbound PWR to NExy, or even an obvious way to add it later if required.

The only bit I haven't noticed work on yet is the shared path passing under the southbound NExy to PWR ramp.

[TrebleSketch]

double post, but northbound Port Wakefield Road has now switched onto the new bridge at the northern interchange

Is anyone able to take some ground photos of the progress so far? How close is the construction to this? (without the "temporary" on-ramp)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_00LpYgFHw&t=1m26s

Always wondered why they haven't considered adding an on-ramp from PWR to NC on the northern intersection. Especially as I'd imagine Waterloo Corner Rd might get quite busy o.o

I think this might've been asked earlier, but does anyone have a clue as to why they didn't have more through roads along the NC between the Northern Interchange and Waterloo Interchange?

That looks exactly like what is being built. It does include southbound access from PWR to NC (over the bridge, keep right, under the northbound PWR). What is missing is northbound PWR to NExy, or even an obvious way to add it later if required.

The only bit I haven't noticed work on yet is the shared path passing under the southbound NExy to PWR ramp.

Ooooh, my bad! I was talking about PWR to NExy, since it would be a northbound lane into NExy. Not NC x3

So the southbound PWR to NC is now being constucted after the latest switch over?

There might be a feasible way to built the northbound PWR to NExy, but I'd imagine it'll be difficult as it'll be double height above everything else! With the shared bikeway, I think it'll be worked on last. Plus I really do hope that they will allow future provisions for it as it does look like they will have enough space between the north/south-bound of NExy to have a northbound lane to slip into NExy.

[ChillyPhilly]

A northbound PWR to NC isn't necessary - entry to the NC will be possible at two other exits to the south.

[SBD]

A northbound PWR to NC isn't necessary - entry to the NC will be possible at two other exits to the south.

I think the interesting question will be what the suitable route is for B-doubles and road trains from the Burton, Greenfields and Cavan areas to the Northern Expressway. I think the roundabout on Waterloo Corner Road might be too tight, but the entrance to the NC from Bolivar Road looks like a wide smooth curve. It's a little less obvious whether the left turn from northbound PWR to Bolivar Road extension is wide enough, but since the road seems to be quite wide, I think it may be possible if they use two lanes, anyway.

[SBD]

The entire South Road Superway will be closed 2-13 January for work on the interchange between it and the Northern Connector.

https://www.dpti.sa.gov.au/__data/asset ... mbined.pdf

If they needed a shutdown for that long, it was always going to run into January at least - that couldn't have been done in November to keep to a December opening.

[Mr Messy]

Less traffic in January.


Hopefully they take this opportunity to increase the number of lanes on the superway just south of the grand junction road onramp up to 3

[SBD]

Less traffic in January.


Hopefully they take this opportunity to increase the number of lanes on the superway just south of the grand junction road onramp up to 3

Agreed about the traffic.

There has been a previous conversation here somewhere about whether it is better to merge three lanes into two before an on-ramp and add an extra lane, or to merge four lanes into three soon after an on ramp. I don't think any of us came up with refereed studies to answer one way or the other.

[ChillyPhilly]

On that topic, it seems that the southbound Northern Connector will narrow to one lane to connect with the existing Superway.

[mawsonguy]

On that topic, it seems that the southbound Northern Connector will narrow to one lane to connect with the existing Superway.

The latest photos (https://www.dpti.sa.gov.au/__data/asset ... nector.jpg), which accord with my own hurried observation while driving through the interchange, suggest that there will be 2 southbound lanes which are joined by one lane from the PREXY on ramp before continuing as 3 lanes across the bridge over the PREXY.