ISSUE 1 AUGUST 2008 bakewell underpass & tram awards The Victoria Square to City West Tramline Extension and Bakewell Underpass projects have both been presented with prestigious awards for excellence in design, construction and execution. The tram extension won the renowned South Australian Institute of Architect’s “Adelaide Prize” while the Bakewell Underpass recently claimed a Civil Contractor Federation “Earth Award”. Together the projects have made it easier for people to move around, whether by using the free tram service within the CBD or accessing the city from the western > The first train crosses the completed Port River expressway rail bridge as finishing touches are applied to the new road bridge. suburbs through the Bakewell Underpass. The Adelaide Prize was awarded at a gala dinner at the Wine Centre on Friday , 13 June where the judges opening a new era declared the tramline extension “an outstanding project of enormous public significance for Adelaide.” The project, extending the line from Victoria Square in the po rt to City West, used about 4500 cubic metres of concrete and 6.4 kilometres of power cable. The Port River Expressway dual opening bridges – one of the most innovative and exciting More than 100 people worked on site during major transport projects in recent times – are on the verge of opening a new era in the Port. construction which was completed in just six months. One of the world-class structures is already in operation, with the new rail bridge carrying its first freight > continued page 6 train early in June this year. The 300-metre long Penrice stone train from the Barossa crossed the new bridge structure under the watchful gaze of many excited members of the project team, including Project > The award-winning Bakewell Underpass in action. Director David Bartlett. “Never before undertaken in Australia, the construction of a single leaf dual-gauge opening rail bridge of this size and complexity is a remarkable achievement,” he said. “That train rolling over the bridge was the culmination of several years of hard work and I congratulate our team as well as the builder Abigroup and Australian Rail Track Corporation for their considerable efforts. “The completion of the rail bridge heralds a new chapter in rail efficiency for the State, particularly when coupled with the upgraded LeFevre Peninsula Transport Corridor.” The benefits of the Port River Expressway bridges are substantial. The overall project is an impressive engineering feat that services road, rail and marine and the bridges will open opportunities for the State to thrive and prosper into the future through a revitalised Port Adelaide. They will take heavy vehicle traffic away from the Port Adelaide centre and provide a direct and fast link for exporters to the Port. In addition, the project will complement the Northern Expressway and upgraded Sturt Highway when completed. The opening regime for the bridges will give priority to road and rail traffic during weekdays, while marine craft will be given greater access on weekends and public holidays. The road bridge is open to traffic from Sunday, 3 August 2008. • www.infrastructure.sa.gov.au august 2008 1 by Hook contents Welcome to the first edition of New Connections. As someone living in an area adjacent one of Adelaide’s major transport infrastructure projects, you’ll be well aware that a new strategic link is being created to provide you with a sustainable transport environment. What you may not be as familiar with is that right across Adelaide and into its regional fringes, teams of people are working hard on a range of major projects that, while very different when considered in isolation, are strategically linked and serve a fundamental common purpose. Together with the record investment in transport outlined in the recent State Budget, they will form our new connections and are delivering our transport future now. New Connections will arrive in your letterbox on a quarterly basis. It will provide you with information that complements the regular communication you receive from your project team. Equally importantly, it will provide you with an intimate understanding of where each project fits into the bigger picture for Adelaide and South Australia. This publication will see you better informed about what’s happening in your neighbourhood and how strategic infrastructure plan Adelaide’s transport future is taking shape around it. > Develop and deepen Outer Harbor and substantially I look forward to sharing this exciting journey with you. improve infrastructure at the Port of Adelaide. Rod Hook > Improve the north-south corridor. Executive Director > Develop and maintain regional freight networks. Office of Major Projects & Infrastructure > Increase use of public transport. Together these major undertakings address Adelaide’s from vision to reality transport infrastructure needs in a carefully planned manner. Mutually beneficial projects directly advantage communities right across the metropolitan area and its The plan to modernise Adelaide’s transport Complementing these two projects is the vast neighbouring regions. network, and make sure it delivers on the needs Northern Expressway which, in addition to creating of a modern capital city, is rapidly taking shape. another integral part of the corridor, will provide the The plan is all about getting people where they need to go as efficiently and effectively as possible. Work is underway to provide a dedicated north-south missing link in South Australia’s road freight network. A key element is the rejuvenation of public transport, transit corridor, to reinforce road freight routes and give Connecting with a duplicated Sturt Highway to the progressively delivered over the next decade. the city fast, frequent and efficient public transport. north, the Northern Expressway is a 23 kilometre These goals are largely being achieved through the link between Gawler and Port Wakefield Road that An extension of the very successful will deliver enormous amounts of freight to and from establishment of a series of strategic links created by tramline to provide a coast to coast major projects underway at a range of locations right the Port of Adelaide through its southern link with across the city. the Port River Expressway. service between Glenelg and Semaphore According to Major Projects boss Rod Hook, Stages two and three of the Port River Expressway via the Port and a fully re-sleepered rail these are exciting times. – opening road and rail bridges – will open to traffic network with five electrified lines are early this month, taking heavy vehicles en route “We’re spending more in our capital investment program the final pieces of the puzzle. and in our transport-related investment program than to Outer Harbor away from downtown historic has been spent for decades in this State,” he said. Port Adelaide. Rod Hook concludes this is indeed a bold and evolving plan that will make sure Adelaide realises its undoubted The South Road/ANZAC Highway Underpass Northern Expressway Project Director Luigi Rossi, potential to be nationally and internationally recognised and South Road Tram Overpass projects are the first says the benefits of the strategic approach to major as a great place to live and work. step in facilitating free-flow traffic on Adelaide’s major projects are there for many people and aren’t north-south corridor. limited to transportation. “Often the focus is on individual projects but there “When we achieve this free-flow movement there “These projects, while having a freight focus, are is a master plan here; there is a broader approach will be huge benefits for all forms of transport, designed to maximise the opportunity for commuter that’s about better links for motorists and reducing especially freight. You can imagine not having to trips. We’re finding that the northern region is an costs for South Australia’s exporters and therefore stop at every set of traffic lights as freight vehicles area of growth and there’s significant employment improving our competitiveness and efficiency in the do now,” said Project Director Paul Gelston. opportunities happening,” he said. longer term,” he said. • 2 august 2008 www.infrastructure.sa.gov.au what’s next? > Road works on the northern side of ANZAC Highway. > Contract Engineer Darren Ball watches the future alignment of South Road under Anzac Highway rapidly taking shape. > Installation of new drainage services, traffic signals and street lighting. > Northern bridge deck construction and the installation half way home on south road of more large bridge beams. > Completion of the southern underpass ramp excavation. The massive task of taking South Road under ANZAC Highway to improve > Works to connect the southern section of the one of Adelaide’s busiest intersections has reached the half way mark. underpass to South Road near Forest Street. > Begin excavation of the northern underpass ramp. Work crews have been on site for just over a year The project is on target to meet its scheduled and, with traffic expected to be flowing through completion time frame of late 2009, thanks largely to the completed underpass around this time next the efforts of contractor Thiess-Leed and its workforce, fast facts year, it’s a case of so far so good for the which has managed to avoid losing any time on site > 18000 cubic metres of materials were excavated $118 million project. since beginning construction. to create the underpass by the end of May 2008. Traffic began flowing on the southern half of the Traffic continues to flow effectively through the > 60 workers on average are on site every day, Monday to Saturday. new ANZAC Highway bridge deck in early July, intersection with the construction team maintaining taking vehicles over what will soon be transformed two lanes in each direction on South Road during > 6750 tonnes of asphalt were laid by the end of June 2008.