Rail the answer to freeway traffic fears, top infrastructure consultant says

An infrastructure consultant says rail is the only solution if a newly announced satellite city near Murray Bridge goes ahead.

An infrastructure consultant has warned of traffic snarls on the South Eastern Freeway if the new 44,000 person residential development near Murray Bridge goes ahead.

Principal consultant of Luigi Rossi and Associates, Luigi Rossi said the South Eastern Freeway was “virtually at capacity” and could not accommodate the bold $7.5bn plan to create a satellite city near Murray Bridge – comprising 17,100 new homes for an estimated 44,000 residents.

Mr Rossi, who helped design some of SA’s largest infrastructure projects – including the South Eastern Freeway and Heysen Tunnels – was a top-ranking bureaucrat for the Department for Infrastructure and Transport.

Infrastructure consultant Luigi Rossi believes rail is the only way to solve South Eastern Freeway traffic problems after a massive Murray Bridge residential development was announced Picture: Matt Loxton

“We are overloaded and it will put additional pressure on it (the South Eastern Freeway), a road system that has already shown issues with capacity problems,” he said.

While road upgrades were possible, expanding lanes along the freeway between Murray Bridge and Mount Barker, Mr Rossi said there were constraints in sections between Hahndorf and the Old Toll House – such as the three lane Heysen Tunnels.

“An even bigger constraint is once you get down to the bottom of the hill and you hit Cross Rd, Glen Osmond Rd and Portrush Rd,” he said.

“They do not have the capacity for any more traffic to come down the freeway.”

The result, Mr Rossi said would not only be the need to invest in major upgrades to multiple sections of the freeway, but also the need to undertake significant upgrades to the three main roads at the freeway’s intersection.

“We’re talking about billions and billions of dollars,” Mr Rossi said.

Mr Rossi’s solution – presented to the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, along with multiple affected councils – is the Adelaide to Mount Barker rail line, with an estimated price tag of $5bn.

With the bold $7.5bn plan to create a satellite city near Murray Bridge, Mr Rossi has proposed a $5bn Adelaide to Mount Barker rail line to help ease traffic on the South Eastern Freeway. Picture: Tait Schmaal.

“The capacity required on the road system and the cost to (upgrade the highway) is not only far more significant than rail, but the impact on the community is far greater,” Mr Rossi said.

“In the longer term, one needs to look at alternative modes of transport and we feel that rail would be an alternative mode that would complement the freeway and provide the capacity transport needs for the future.”

Like the $15.4bn Torrens to Darlington project, the rail upgrade would need to be co-funded by the state and federal governments.

“I strongly encourage the housing development and the opportunities it presents, we need the housing,” Mr Rossi said.

“But we cannot push people out into these outer metropolitan Adelaide areas without providing a public transport system.”

“We need to do the master plan for an upgraded railway corridor all the way to Murray Bridge now.”

The Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Tom Koutsantonis said the State Government congratulates the Murray Bridge council and the development partners for the vision they have for the region.

“This development is proposed to create a true satellite city where people will people will live, work and play in the region rather than commuting daily to Adelaide,” Minister Koutsantonis said.

“As the project progresses, the Government will work with the local council and project partners to assist in the planning and delivery of the public infrastructure required to support their vision.

“Approximately a quarter of the proposed site is currently zoned for housing with additional master planning and detailed site investigations required to understand the specific supporting infrastructure required.

“The development will be a staged approach over the coming decades.”