Adelaide tram extension works to close North Tce, King William St intersection

ADELAIDE’S busiest intersection has been closed to lay tram tracks that set in concrete the State Government’s decision to exclude a right-hand turn to the East End.

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ADELAIDE’S busiest intersection has been closed to lay tram tracks that set in concrete the State Government’s decision to exclude a right-hand turn to the East End.

The intersection at North Tce and King William St is closed for a fortnight while Stage 4 of works are undertaken as part of the $80 million tram extension project.

Work on the controversial intersection will be conducted around the clock to minimise disruption, which will see buses replace trams and timetable changes between Victoria Square and the Entertainment Centre for three weeks.

Public buses and cars will also be forced to take detours around the intersection and make new alternate stops from today until January 15.

Workers returning to the CBD today following the Christmas break were met with confusion as they tried to navigate public transport changes and road closures that turned King William St into a carpark.

As the tram from Glenelg terminated at Victoria Square, most commuters decided to walk to their workplaces in the north of the city instead of taking substitute buses - some ferrying just two passengers between stops.

The buses, parked in the bicycle lane at Victoria Square, angered riders that were forced to squeeze between services heading west across the city - prompting one cyclist to swear at a bus driver as he went past.

One commuter, Annie, said she only went two stops before the tram terminated.

“I thought it would be easy to get into the city,” she told The Advertiser.

“Coming back from Sydney it is hard to accept these things.”

Tramworks on North terrace on Tuesday morning. Picture: Supplied

Tramworks on North Terrace on Tuesday morning. Picture Supplied

At the other end of the street, commuters coming out of the railway station were forced to walk towards the Festival Centre before being able to cross King William St towards the East End, or use the tunnel via Hindley St to get to Rundle Mall.

One commuter, who did not give his name, said the walk took him an extra five minutes.

On King William St, cafe Veloce Paninoteca owner Mario Monterosso said the lack of foot traffic during the works will affect his business.

“It’s normally quite this time of the year but I think it will be even quieter,” he said.

Mr Monterosso, who parks in the Myer Centre car park, said he also found it hard driving in to the city.

“They were actually stopping me coming in and I had to bulldoze my way through to go into the car park, so it will affect the car park as well because there’s noone in there,” he said.

A spokesperson for the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) said the works include the installation of overhead wires and tram tracks at the intersection.

“The intersection will be reopened before Stage 2 of the Tour Down Under,” they said.

Works could also impact a Big Bash League match on Tuesday, January 9, and traffic heading to performances of The Rocky Horror Show, which runs until January 13 at Festival Theatre, where a new foyer was reopened this week.

The intersection of North Terrace and King William Street will be closed for two weeks from January 1.

The northern entrance to the Adelaide Railway Station will be reopened during major events, with footpaths to remain open and crossings provided during the works.

SA Power Networks will also undertake works along North Tce as part of the tram project, resulting in speed and lane restrictions between Frome St and Gawler Pl from January 8-25.

Retailers in the precinct have again raised concerns about access to the CBD and the works’ impact, prompting Rundle Mall Management Authority general manager Amanda Grocock to ask for delays.

“Given that the post-Christmas sales period is so important to business, the RMMA requested for the start date of Stage 4 to be delayed by a few days. Unfortunately, this request could not be accommodated by DPTI,” she said.

Transport Minister Stephen Mullighan has repeatedly defended the State Government’s decision to exclude a right-hand turn from King William St into North Tce, stating it gets “the balance right” between maintaining traffic flow through the intersection and running very high frequency services along North Tce to the East End end.

But the move has come with staunch opposition from the Adelaide City Council, East End Coordination Group, Property Council, Conservation Council, and Civil Contractors Federation.

Opposition transport spokesman David Pisoni said this was Labor’s last chance to “deliver the job properly”.

“It (a right-hand turn) will need to be done at some stage in the future and it’s disappointing that the government isn’t doing it now.”

The restrictions explained

CARS

From 10pm on Monday, January 1 the King William St-North Tce intersection will be closed to all traffic. It is expected to reopen at 6am on Monday, January 15.

■ During this time U-turn facilities will be provided at each leg of the intersection: Festival Dr in the north, Hindley St in the south, Stephen Pl in the east and Bank St in the west.

■ Car parks along North Tce will remain open, as well as the right turn into Kintore Ave. Alternate access has been arranged for emergency services.

■ Motorists are encouraged to use the Inner City Ring Route (A21) using Hackney Rd, Park Tce, Robe Tce, Fitzroy Tce and Port Rd.

Speed and lane restrictions will be in place between Frome St and Gawler Pl from 6am on Monday, January 8 to 6pm on Thursday, January 25, while SA Power Networks conducts work along North Tce as part of the tram project.

BUSES

■ Up to 45 bus routes, including the free city connector, will be affected by the works.

■ Detours will be in place from January 1-15, and a detailed list of affected routes, alternate stops and temporary route maps is available on the Adelaide Metro website.

■ Bus services to the cricket will still be provided with buses using a designated access lane during events.

■ Tourist coaches and buses servicing special events will be provided a special drop off and bus U-turn facility located close to the Adelaide Railway Station.

TRAMS

From 9.30pm on January 1 the tram line between the Entertainment Centre and Glenelg will be shut down, and buses will substitute trams until the last service.

■ Then from January 2-21, tram services will not run between Victoria Square and the Entertainment Centre. Substitute buses will be available between the stops, detouring via Morphett St and Currie St, and will operate on a varied timetable, available on the Adelaide Metro website.

■ As the works taking place are located right up to the Rundle Mall “turn back facility”, the line and stops north of Victoria Square will be closed for three weeks. The decision to end trams at Victoria Square ensures the trams can turn around for the return journey to Glenelg. It is not possible to run trams between the Entertainment Centre and the Adelaide Railway Station as there is no access to maintenance facilities.

■ A separate substitute bus timetable for January 15-21 will be released soon. All substitute bus services are accessible for passengers including those with wheelchairs, mobility devices and prams.

■ For large mobility devices that do not fit on buses, passengers should contact Torrens Transit to request a wheelchair accessible taxi.