Adelaide City Council to reiterate again its desire for tram link to North Adelaide

A push to get the tram to continue on to North Adelaide has been reinvigorated by the relocation of a popular event and business developments. Have your say.

LIV Golf’s move to the city, the new Adelaide Aquatic Centre and Eighty-Eight O’Connell development warrant a tram extension to North Adelaide, Adelaide City Council says.

The council will renew its push for a tram extension down O’Connell St, as Adelaide MP Lucy Hood gauges whether the local community would want one to go ahead.

Councillor Mary Couros received unanimous support at Tuesday night’s meeting for the council to again write to Premier Peter Malinauskas stating its importance for future growth.

An old artist impression of what a tram down O'Connell Street would look like.

It follows a previous letter in 2022 and more recently, the council included the extension as part of its 2036 City Plan to help it double its population from 26,000 to 50,000 people.

Cr Couros told the meeting there was plenty of economic growth in North Adelaide, including the completion of Eighty-Eight O’Connell, making it a “crucial time for discussion”.

“In order to have the tram come down to North Adelaide we all know we have to upgrade the bridge…. the state government hasn’t confirmed to us or not if they are going to commit to that,” she told the meeting.

The Adelaide Bridge is in need of $60m of upgrades to allow for a tram extension. Picture: RoyVphotography

The council estimated a bridge upgrade would cost $60m – but the Essential Services Commission of SA has recently raised concerns the cost could be higher and it was reliant on external funding.

Cr Phil Martin said Adelaide MP Lucy Hood had attended a North Adelaide precinct meeting and had asked about a tram extension which had attendees “wildly enthusiastic”.

A concept image of what the O'Connell St revitalisation would look like. Picture: Adelaide City Council

Wider footpaths are included in the O’Connell St revitalisation. Picture: Adelaide City Council

It comes as the council consulted local residents on its O’Connell St upgrade, which included a 30km/hr speed limit, new bike lanes and designed to be adaptable for future tram extension.

The $15m main street plan also included on-street parking to be restricted to off-peak, with any shortfall made up by two hour parking spaces at Eighty Eight O’Connell.

The road would remain as two lanes, north and south, during peak hour, but would be reduced to one lane during off-peak to allow for parking and bus stops.

A state government spokesman said they did not comment on council matters or budget deliberations ahead of it being delivered on June 5.

“Our priority is bringing tram operations back into public hands later this year,” the spokesman said.