New funding doubts over Adelaide’s non-stop north-south corridor road project
A PEAK construction body wants billions of dollars in road projects fast-tracked to create jobs and clear congestion on Adelaide’s north-south corridor.
- How the 78km non-stop north-south corridor was announced in 2015
- New bridge over South Rd for Torrens to Torrens project
- Construction firm chosen for Northern Connector
- Darlington upgrade extended by 1km
A PEAK construction body wants billions of dollars in road projects fast-tracked to create jobs and clear congestion on Adelaide’s north-south corridor.
The Civil Contractors Federation says there is no funding committed to projects along South Rd to start after 2018, and has identified three areas where it says money should be allocated.
Federation chief executive officer Phil Sutherland feared that “urgent” design work for upgrades to future sections of the corridor was being delayed because funding was set to “dry up” after 2018.
Former prime minister Tony Abbott committed in May 2015 to creating a 78km non-stop corridor within a decade, at a cost of $9.3 billion.
About $2.5 billion has already been allocated to the Darlington Interchange, Torrens to Torrens section and Northern Connector.
However, Mr Sutherland said funds were needed now for new projects.
“We are being told by people involved in the upgrades that there is a very real possibility the sections currently the subject of construction activity are likely to be the only improvements for many years, unless the federal and state governments come to the party as a matter of urgency,” he said.
“Unless money is urgently earmarked for this crucial piece of road infrastructure, all of the work will come to a standstill and Adelaide will be left with a road that simply shunts congestion up and down the road.”
Mr Sutherland named three sections which should be fast-tracked:
8km from Anzac Highway to Darlington (at a cost of $2.1 billion).
7km from the River Torrens to Anzac Highway ($2.6 billion).
8km from Regency Rd to Torrens Rd ($760 million).
Since initial announcements, the Darlington Interchange upgrade has been expanded to take in the Ayliffes/Shepherds Hill roads intersection and the Torrens to Torrens project now incorporates the Torrens Rd intersection.
A State Government spokeswoman said it had “undertaken a considerable amount of planning work” on the corridor, including releasing a 10-year strategy.
“As with other joint projects, future stages will require a funding commitment from the Commonwealth Government,” she said.
Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Darren Chester said planning work was “continuing on the remaining sections of the North-South corridor”
“Further funding will be considered in the context of future Budgets, in consultation with the South Australian Government,” he said.
RAA senior manager road safety Charles Mountain agreed that there had been no funding committed to the “detailed design and construction of whatever the next phases of the (non-stop) road will be”.
“It’s been on the books for many, many years but we’re finally seeing things happen,” he said.