News & Discussion: Other Transport Projects

[rev]

Looking on Google Maps I would say a route could be -

Bald Hills Rd, right Old Princes Hwy, left Nairne-Woodside Rd, right Onkaparinga Valley Rd, left Woodside Rd, right Main St Lobethal, left Cudlee Creek Rd, left Gorge Rd, right Tippett Rd, left North East Rd, left Lower North East Rd to Grand Junction Rd. Definitely alot of curves that would need to be straightened out and bridges widened/strengthened!

Nah you wouldn't turn those sorts of roads into a freeway.

For example you would connect a new freeway just before summit road near Mt Barker Summit, and go between Nairne and Blakiston, then over the right of Oakbank up past Woodside and Lobethal, then tunnel through those hills and come out near Paracombe and connect to GJR.
Then turn GJR into a freeway for about 7km up towards the prisons, where it would go north west between the, follow the alignment and interchange at Salisbury hwy..
If they can acquire property for the NSM they can do it for a short stretch of GJR..
Still think we need a proper motorway ring route through the metro though.

[bits]

Cutting another freeway or even a more basic significant truck route through the hills surely will never happen.
The Truro bypass or similar is the only way to get a better road than SE Freeway in.

[SBD]

Looking on Google Maps I would say a route could be -

Bald Hills Rd, right Old Princes Hwy, left Nairne-Woodside Rd, right Onkaparinga Valley Rd, left Woodside Rd, right Main St Lobethal, left Cudlee Creek Rd, left Gorge Rd, right Tippett Rd, left North East Rd, left Lower North East Rd to Grand Junction Rd. Definitely alot of curves that would need to be straightened out and bridges widened/strengthened!

The "Short North" route to Grand Junction Road was proposed as a possible alternative in the report that canned GlobeLink. I don't think it intended to use the main streets of small towns. It would be a new freeway through the Adelaide Hills. There was also a Short South proposal that constructed a new freeway from south of Mount Barker to meet the NSM near St Marys. Both required a range of bridges and tunnels.

[ChillyPhilly]

Concept plans for an upgrade of the intersection of Port Road/Cheltenham Parade-West Lakes Boulevard have been released. Some welcome improvements, but the bigger issues remain.



There's stupidly still that little middle bit right in the centre. The Port Road medians should have been narrowed to form a more normal-sized intersection. In addition, many traffic problems are the result of the Grange line.

[how good is he]

I agree, I can’t understand why they don’t get rid of that lawned triangle area that serves no purpose. Surely Port Rd turning left immediately to West Lakes Boulevard after the train line would be better for traffic flow.

[Ho Really]

$145m to upgrade SA roads, truck routes and save tradie jobs under infrastructure plan
Claire Bickers, Federal Bureau Chief, The Advertiser
June 23, 2020 10:30pm

Heavy traffic on the South Eastern Freeway will be eased as part of a $145 million infrastructure cash splash for South Australia to create tradie jobs and rebuild the economy after coronavirus.

A north-south freight route upgrade to get more trucks off the freeway is one of 13 “shovel-ready” and road safety projects in the package Premier Steven Marshall and Prime Minister Scott Morrison will announce on Wednesday.

The package is part of a wider $1.5 billion federal infrastructure funding boost to create jobs, improve road safety and rebuild Australia’s economy after the COVID-19 shutdown.

The work will get under way immediately or within six months.

Mr Morrison said the priority upgrades would “bust congestion, increase productivity, improve safety, and boost jobs at a time we need it most”.

The $12 million upgrade to the North-South freight route between Murray Bridge and Annadale, bypassing Adelaide, will get under way by September and should be completed by December.

“This new freight bypass will help get some trucks off the South Eastern Freeway, easing congestion and making that road safer,” State Transport and Infrastructure Minister Stephan Knoll said.

The most recent jam on the South Eastern Freeway in March took 6½ hours to clear after a chicken truck rolled over, blocking all three lanes on the downtrack from the Crafers turn-off.

A $15 million upgrade to the Heysen Tunnel will also start by January and should be complete by December next year.

That includes new safety features such as a fire sprinkler system and improvements to communications and electrical systems.

“We’re also upgrading the (South Eastern) freeway to deliver speed-activated signage on the steep descent into Adelaide,” Urban Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge said. A $52 million project will upgrade regional roads over the next 18 months, with footpath treatments, shoulder sealing and safety improvements on parts of the Stuart Highway, Yorke Highway and the Dukes and Riddoch highways.

Safety barriers also will be installed at notorious crash sites across SA in another $10 million project.

Another $6 million will go towards widening in parts Long Valley Rd outside Mount Barker, and sealing shoulders.

Other road safety works will include better lighting at key rural intersections and line markings to alert drivers through sound and vibration when they are veering out of their lane.

Mr Marshall said the State Government had worked closely with the Federal Government to fast-track funding for the projects.

“This significant infrastructure investment is part of our strong plan to create more South Australian jobs and support local businesses,” Mr Marshall said.

The Federal Government will commit $115.6 million while the State Government will contribute $28.9 million.

The Advertiser

Cheers

[SBD]

I have no doubt that the Murray Bridge - Annadale roads need upgrading to support heavy vehicle traffic which is already permitted on the route, and it is sometimes the designated detour under major disruptions.

I have doubts about these upgrades being significant enough to change the route of many vehicles that presently use the SE Freeway. The upgrades will only assist traffic and road maintenance that already go that way. If it does result in a measurable reduction in heavy vehicles on the freeway, it will result in a huge increase in heavy vehicle traffic through Murray Bridge and past the school at Cambrai. Is there also a school in Sedan? It also moves more traffic onto the main street of Truro.

To talk about reducing SE Freeway traffic, the longer-term plan needs to include bypasses of Truro, Murray Bridge, Cambrai and Sedan. If the road component of GlobeLink is off the table, someone needs to come up with a vision for an alternative, with a ten-year implementation plan to kick off as soon as the NS Corridor is (almost) finished.

[Eurostar]

I have no doubt that the Murray Bridge - Annadale roads need upgrading to support heavy vehicle traffic which is already permitted on the route, and it is sometimes the designated detour under major disruptions.

I have doubts about these upgrades being significant enough to change the route of many vehicles that presently use the SE Freeway. The upgrades will only assist traffic and road maintenance that already go that way. If it does result in a measurable reduction in heavy vehicles on the freeway, it will result in a huge increase in heavy vehicle traffic through Murray Bridge and past the school at Cambrai. Is there also a school in Sedan? It also moves more traffic onto the main street of Truro.

To talk about reducing SE Freeway traffic, the longer-term plan needs to include bypasses of Truro, Murray Bridge, Cambrai and Sedan. If the road component of GlobeLink is off the table, someone needs to come up with a vision for an alternative, with a ten-year implementation plan to kick off as soon as the NS Corridor is (almost) finished.

No bypasses! Trucks do use these servos in towns along the Sturt Highway for meal breaks

[SBD]

I have no doubt that the Murray Bridge - Annadale roads need upgrading to support heavy vehicle traffic which is already permitted on the route, and it is sometimes the designated detour under major disruptions.

I have doubts about these upgrades being significant enough to change the route of many vehicles that presently use the SE Freeway. The upgrades will only assist traffic and road maintenance that already go that way. If it does result in a measurable reduction in heavy vehicles on the freeway, it will result in a huge increase in heavy vehicle traffic through Murray Bridge and past the school at Cambrai. Is there also a school in Sedan? It also moves more traffic onto the main street of Truro.

To talk about reducing SE Freeway traffic, the longer-term plan needs to include bypasses of Truro, Murray Bridge, Cambrai and Sedan. If the road component of GlobeLink is off the table, someone needs to come up with a vision for an alternative, with a ten-year implementation plan to kick off as soon as the NS Corridor is (almost) finished.

No bypasses! Trucks do use these servos in towns along the Sturt Highway for meal breaks

I have no idea what proportion of trucks through Truro stop at one of the Truro servos/bakery. Nor what proportion of the business of those venues comes from long-distance heavy vehicle operations. A bypass could be designed with a provision for a new service centre/truck stop/servo similar to the BP on the highway near Blanchetown. Yes that would require investment in a new facility from the operators of the current places, so giving firm timeframes would help them with business planning.

From an economic standpoint, would the town have a net benefit or loss from having the non-stopping through traffic diverted away from the main street? Freeling is now bypassed by the Thiele Highway, heavy vehicle traffic is diverted around the main streets of Tanunda, Lyndoch and Gawler. I'd say these places are all better off without as many trucks. Port Wakefield Road doesn't pass through any town centres any more. Some have benefited, some have withered, and Port Wakefield itself moved to embrace the bypass.

A Truro bypass could lead to a renewal as a tourist town, with more Eden Valley cellar doors and boutique food producers for example. Not having the main road from Adelaide to Melbourne pass through the main street of Hahndorf doesn't seem to have hurt too much in the long term. Ultimately, if the Globelink Freeway ended up getting built, it could make Truro a "gateway to the Barossa" from Melbourne, as well as from Sydney.

[Eurostar]

The concern i have is there are not enough service stations between Murray Bridge and Nuriootpa via this proposed route, there are also many checking stations closed nowadays. No vehicle is 100% perfect and many areas i have noticed do have blackspots, or like one of my phones would think i am in Victoria and jump a half hour in front. If you watched Outback Truckers , i know if i was one of those truckers that get into strife and have to do emergency repairs I'd rather do it at a servo than on side of highway.

[SBD]

The concern i have is there are not enough service stations between Murray Bridge and Nuriootpa via this proposed route, there are also many checking stations closed nowadays. No vehicle is 100% perfect and many areas i have noticed do have blackspots, or like one of my phones would think i am in Victoria and jump a half hour in front. If you watched Outback Truckers , i know if i was one of those truckers that get into strife and have to do emergency repairs I'd rather do it at a servo than on side of highway.

I agree. If a $12m upgrade to shoulder sealing draws many trucks off of the SE freeway, then maybe there will be a business opportunity to open a new outlet, providing regional employment in Cambrai or Sedan. There's a fairly new westbound servo at Nuriootpa, and a proposal for a new eastbound one. The services needed by trucking are different to those needed by tourists, and definitely different to the services required by the local farmer community.

2-trailer road trains are now permitted to enter SA from Victoria on the Princes, Dukes, Mallee and Sturt Highways. Access to Port Adelaide is only permitted from the north. We don't see many of them, so at the moment, the restrictions on 36.5m road trains still favour 26m B-doubles. Options to get between the southern routes and the northern network are this route between the Murray and the Hills, or the Ngarkat and Browns Well Highways (Bordertown-Pinnaroo-Loxton) near the state border. Neither provides many services between the main east-west routes, and are not really set up to handle significant amounts of heavy traffic. This road is 80km shorter (Bordertown-Truro) than the eastern one.

Now that the "short south" alternative to GlobeLink has been proposed in the report, I wonder if that corridor should be identified and reserved, even if it isn't built for 50 years. The trouble will be the bunfight over carving another freeway through prime Adelaide Hills farmland. A new route from near Murray Bridge to Truro would be easier to sell aesthetically and economical land use, but it adds distance to the route between Melbourne and Port Adelaide.

[Waewick]

I have no doubt that the Murray Bridge - Annadale roads need upgrading to support heavy vehicle traffic which is already permitted on the route, and it is sometimes the designated detour under major disruptions.

I have doubts about these upgrades being significant enough to change the route of many vehicles that presently use the SE Freeway. The upgrades will only assist traffic and road maintenance that already go that way. If it does result in a measurable reduction in heavy vehicles on the freeway, it will result in a huge increase in heavy vehicle traffic through Murray Bridge and past the school at Cambrai. Is there also a school in Sedan? It also moves more traffic onto the main street of Truro.

To talk about reducing SE Freeway traffic, the longer-term plan needs to include bypasses of Truro, Murray Bridge, Cambrai and Sedan. If the road component of GlobeLink is off the table, someone needs to come up with a vision for an alternative, with a ten-year implementation plan to kick off as soon as the NS Corridor is (almost) finished.

No bypasses! Trucks do use these servos in towns along the Sturt Highway for meal breaks

I have no idea what proportion of trucks through Truro stop at one of the Truro servos/bakery. Nor what proportion of the business of those venues comes from long-distance heavy vehicle operations. A bypass could be designed with a provision for a new service centre/truck stop/servo similar to the BP on the highway near Blanchetown. Yes that would require investment in a new facility from the operators of the current places, so giving firm timeframes would help them with business planning.

From an economic standpoint, would the town have a net benefit or loss from having the non-stopping through traffic diverted away from the main street? Freeling is now bypassed by the Thiele Highway, heavy vehicle traffic is diverted around the main streets of Tanunda, Lyndoch and Gawler. I'd say these places are all better off without as many trucks. Port Wakefield Road doesn't pass through any town centres any more. Some have benefited, some have withered, and Port Wakefield itself moved to embrace the bypass.

A Truro bypass could lead to a renewal as a tourist town, with more Eden Valley cellar doors and boutique food producers for example. Not having the main road from Adelaide to Melbourne pass through the main street of Hahndorf doesn't seem to have hurt too much in the long term. Ultimately, if the Globelink Freeway ended up getting built, it could make Truro a "gateway to the Barossa" from Melbourne, as well as from Sydney.

There is no down side in a Truro bypass.

The town already has a large piece of vacant land from an old sevo and the large parking for the toilet which only benefits 1 store, it also has many many empty or pretty much empty shops.

Being so close to Nuri, once you moved the highways and rezoned Resi it would fill the supply issues Barossa has with people that will actually live there, rather than just stop to go to the toilet.

It's a win win win

[1NEEDS2POST]

Concept plans for an upgrade of the intersection of Port Road/Cheltenham Parade-West Lakes Boulevard have been released. Some welcome improvements, but the bigger issues remain.



There's stupidly still that little middle bit right in the centre. The Port Road medians should have been narrowed to form a more normal-sized intersection. In addition, many traffic problems are the result of the Grange line.

They should combine this with a grade separation of the Grange railway line. I know it doesn't get much traffic, but it brings a major road to a standstill at times. If they duplicate this section of the track, it will support higher frequency for the Grange train.

[Norman]

They should combine this with a grade separation of the Grange railway line.

No

I know it doesn't get much traffic, but it brings a major road to a standstill at times.

Not really. I've been down Port Road several times in peak hour and the train has never been an issue.

If they duplicate this section of the track, it will support higher frequency for the Grange train.

Higher frequency is not required unless they build an extension to West Lakes.

[ginzahikari]

Designs released for the Mitcham Hills Road Corridor Upgrade - Old Belair Rd / James Rd and Russell St / Main Rd / Sheoak Rd intersections. A concept design for the Shepherds Hill Rd / Brighton Pde / Waite St intersection is due in mid this year.

https://dit.sa.gov.au/infrastructure/ro ... or_upgrade

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eZhAFkYrAM