High hopes for economic turbo charge as Northern Connector opens to traffic
There are big expectations for an economic resurgence north of Adelaide as a major new road upgrade opens to traffic today.
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Millions of hours of labour and thousands of tonnes of South Australian steel and concrete have created a foundation for an economic resurgence north of the city.
Tourism operators, food producers and real estate agents have welcomed the Northern Connector which opened today.
The northbound carriageway will open by 9am and the southbound shortly afterwards.
“This is a really strategic piece of infrastructure,” said Anne Morley, chief executive of the regional development board for the Barossa, Gawler, Light and Adelaide Plains.
It provides an easily navigable, quick route from the airport, port and city centre for the whole region, she said.
“And it’s a connection point for a number of pathways,” she said.
The Northern Connector links to the Port Wakefield Rd and to Gawler which is the hub point for roads to Mildura, Broken Hill, and the Clare Valley.
Ms Morley expects the connector to help drive investment in the region.
“We’ve been having a lot of discussions about new accommodation,” she said.
“I’ve met with a number of developers about proposals for sympathetic accommodation in the Barossa.
“I think this will be the catalyst for them being able to say they’ll go ahead with it because of the stream of tourists we’ll get.
“These are upscale tourism developments, quality hotels, and a mixture of in the towns or co-located with wineries.”
It was essential for businesses to work together to make the region attractive, she said.
A marketing campaign by Tourism Barossa being launched this weekend will seek to promote the improved accessibility of the region.
The campaign — “The Barossa just got closer” — aims to highlight the diversity of the region with its widely recognised wineries and cellar doors complemented by restaurants, markets, and activities such as cycling tours and knife-making.
Better access would be a game changer with travel to Adelaide under an hour, Tourism Barossa chair Jon Durdin said.
“This is an incredible opportunity for us as a region to position the Barossa as a destination of choice for our friends in the city, and inbound tourists,” he said.
Seppeltsfield, which won the Premier’s Award for Service Excellence in the 2019 state tourism awards, expects the connector to be a bonus.
“It’s going to make day trips much easier,” Jennifer Schmidt said at the winery yesterday.
Seppeltsfield has created an all-round tourism precinct with art and craft at the first regional outlet of the Jam Factory and beauty products through Vasse Virgin Barossa sitting alongside the food and wine attractions.
The real estate industry expects more people to see Gawler and the Barossa as a comfortable commuting distance.
The Northern Expressway between Port Wakefield Rd and Gawler had made huge difference to absorb the shock of the global financial crisis, Homburg real estate principal Guy Draper said.
“Now, I think the Northern Connector is going to make a huge difference for people contemplating moving up here,” Mr Draper said.
It also would help stabilise the market for locals because two tough vintages had reduced work opportunities in the region. Instead of relocating to the city, people in the region could commute to jobs in Adelaide.
Mr Draper said there was a range of housing available from very affordable to luxury in the region.
Interest rate cuts and political stability had invigorated interest from the investor market, he said.
The road will improve freight access to the airport and Port Adelaide.
Maggie Beer products, whose owner Longtable Group recently moved its registered office from Melbourne to Tanunda, is among manufacturers which will have a quicker export route.
Longtable Group chief executive Chantale Millard said the Maggie Beer
farm shop would be easier to get to and commuting time reduced for
staff who lived in Adelaide.
SA Freight Council executive officer Evan Knapp said the road would cut time, costs, and emissions.
“That will make us more competitive on both the domestic and world stage,” he said.
“Primary industries are the mainstay of our regions. They move very large volumes and will benefit from this new road.”
The road will cater for B-double trucks through to Port Adelaide, one of the few container ports in Australia with such access, Mr Knapp said.
“One of the key aspects of the Northern Connector, Port River Expressway and the North-South corridor more generally is that we can safely bring those very large vehicles into our port without much interaction with general commuters,” he said.
While the road will take a heavy load, the fact that most of the 15.5km is paved with concrete will reduce maintenance — and the industry hopes it will be a showcase for the future.
“This is a road which will not need to be disrupted by maintenance for decades to come,” said Jason Kuchel, state director for NSW and SA of industry group Cement, Concrete and Aggregates Australia.
“It will save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars in reduced maintenance over the lifetime of the road.”
Typically, although the initial price of a concrete road might be higher, its lifetime cost would be about 40 per cent cheaper, he said.
The industry hoped the Northern Connector would be the first of many concrete roads with other major highways to follow.
Cement and granulated blast furnace slag was sourced from Adelaide Brighton, reinforcing steel and billet from Liberty Steel and quarry products from Southern Quarries and Clinton Sands.
Head contractor Lendlease helped transfer skills in the technology of building concrete roads to SA workers.
Lendlease partners included Catcon, McMahon Services, Intract, LR & M Constructions and SEM Civil
While the road will open to motorists today, final work is progressing on the adjacent shared pedestrian and cyclist track.
The shared pathway includes a viewing platform near the North Arm Creek bridge over the mangroves.
Some minor finishing work is needed on the Connector and surrounding roads.
