Lendlease Engineering chosen to build and construct Northern Connector, work to start next month

WORK will start on the Northern Connector road project as soon as next month, with a company chosen to design and construct the key motorway.

• Funding deal done for $985m Northern Connector
• Plan for non-stop ride from Gawler to Old Noarlunga
• Half of the 480 Northern Connector jobs to go to locals
• Could the Northern Connector involve tolls?

WORK will start on the Northern Connector road project as soon as next month after the State Government on Wednesday announced it had chosen Lendlease Engineering to design and construct the key motorway.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Stephen Mullighan said Lendlease — which completed the duplication of the Southern Expressway — would be required to hire at least half the 480 workers needed for the project from the northern suburbs.

The company will also source about 7500 tonnes of reinforcing or structural steel from the struggling Arrium steelworks in Whyalla for the $985 million construction job.

Mr Mullighan said a minimum of 70 per cent of steel used would be sourced from Arrium.

The 15.5km motorway is due to be complete by mid-2019.

It will provide a link between the Northern Expressway and the South Rd Superway and Port River Expressway to the west.

The new route is expected to save commuters up to eight minutes in peak hour by enabling drivers to avoid six sets of traffic lights.

The motorway will have a 110km/h speed limit on three lanes travelling in each direction and a shared path for cyclists and pedestrians.

“The major road construction will start sometime in July, we think,” Mr Mullighan told The Advertiser.

Early earthworks and upgrades to surrounding roads began in January.

Mr Mullighan reaffirmed “there won’t be a toll” to use the road, nor would the State Government impose a network charge for trucks using the freight route.

Following an Expressions of Interest process, the Government chose between Lendlease and a consortium of Leighton Contractors and York Civil, which had been awarded the Torrens to Torrens road upgrade work.

Mr Mullighan said Lendlease had shown commitment to involving the local workforce on the Southern Expressway contract, hiring 60 per cent of workers from the southern suburbs.

“They’ve got some really strong history through that project of using local workers from the local community,” he said.

“That’s the sort of thing we’re expecting to see on the Northern Connector.”

Lendlease Engineering managing director Craig Laslett said the company’s selection as preferred contractor “recognises our major project experience, civil engineering capability and our strong commitment to safety, training and employment”.

As well as a 50 per cent target for hiring workers from the northern suburbs, the company will also be required to ensure at least 20 per cent of the workforce is Aboriginal, an apprentice or trainee or long-term unemployed.

Overall, 90 per cent of the hours of work done on the project must be carried out by South Australians.

Artist impression of the Northern Connector — the southbound view.

Looking north from the air.

Looking south from the air.

Where the road will run ... connecting the Superway with the Northern Expressway.

Artist impression showing the Northern Connector’s Port River Expressway interchange.