Underground testing to begin on North-South corridor, amid concerns projects are in the slow lane

The next steps to determine the viability of tunnels along South Rd will begin this week. But the Opposition is urging the Government to get on with other projects to save us from a post-JobKeeper slump.

• Extra payments considered for “emotional dislocation”
• Tunnels would cost $11 bullion, CCF warns

Underground engineering experts will start probing along the final stretch of the North-South Corridor within weeks, as part of the final steps in determining how to finish the state’s largest ever road infrastructure project.

Geotechnical on-site investigations are expected to begin in August, across about 130 test sites, which have been carefully chosen to minimise impacts to motorists, businesses and residents.

The works will add weight to speculation the State Government is looking at multiple tunnels to finish the most difficult, final 10.5km stretch of the North-South Corridor.

But it also confirms a decision on the State Government’s favoured option, which was expected by mid 2020, is still months away, as the Opposition launches a campaign raising concerns about the slow progress of infrastructure projects across the state.

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll told The Advertiser the number and location of test sites were designed to assess the geotechnical and hydrogeological conditions of a wide area, and gain a comprehensive picture of the underlying soil and groundwater environment.

He stressed the locations did not necessarily correspond to areas that would be impacted by the final design.

“This geotechnical work will help provide more detail about the viability of tunnels now we have put them back on the agenda after Labor ruled them out when they were in government,” he said.

An artist’s impression of the South Rd tunnels.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas launched a new “infrastructure report card” on Sunday, outlining a number of projects that had stalled or been scrapped since Premier Steven Marshall took office.

The list includes the pre-election spruiked GlobeLink project, which would have included a freight only airport at Monarto, and points to the North-South Corridor as an example of stalled projects.

“Steven Marshall and Stephan Knoll have continually missed self-imposed deadlines, and promises to release planning studies, designs and business cases for the state’s biggest projects have failed to eventuate,” Mr Malinauskas said.

“Experts have predicted there will be an economic disaster when JobKeeper ends, so it is vital we get started on big infrastructure projects that will employ thousands of South Australians.”

An artist’s impression of the South Rd tunnels.

Mr Malinauskas said quarterly construction activity in South Australia had fallen by more than $300 million, or 9.8 per cent, since the 2018 election.

However, Mr Knoll said the State Government was embarking on the largest infrastructure spend in the state’s history - worth $12.9bn over the next four years.

On Saturday industry heavyweights outlined a raft of projects they believe need to be part of the infrastructure pipeline, including duplication of the Augusta Highway between Port Wakefield and Port Augusta, and a larger Adelaide tram network.

In February The Advertiser revealed no new major road or rail projects in South Australia had been included on a list of spending priorities for the nation, prepared by Infrastructure Australia.