VAILO Adelaide 500 road closures and traffic restrictions to cause CBD travel headaches

Traffic is banking up in the eastern suburbs as VAILO Adelaide 500 restrictions kick in. See the full list of closures and tips to avoid the crush.

The iconic VAILO Adelaide 500 street circuit race returns next week and while the action on track is fast, traffic restrictions will make for slow going for other commuters.

Traffic restrictions began from 6am on Friday in the lead up to the November 14-17 event, and traffic started banking up soon after.

The RAA is warning motorists of “slow zones” and heavy delays as major roads close.

Major roads such as Wakefield Rd, Dequetteville Tce and Bartels Rd will be closed from Friday, causing delays east of the CBD.

New RAA stats from traffic analysis of previous events reveals the key roads have median travel times increase significantly during the morning weekday peak.

Traffic restrictions will begin from Friday, November 8 in the lead up to the November 14-17 event and the RAA is warning motorists of delays as major roads close. Picture: RAA

Major roads hit the hardest include:

– Payneham Rd (Glynburn to Hackney Rd) – 32 minutes up from the usual 17

– The Parade (Portrush to Fullarton Rd) – 15 minutes up from 4

– Magill Rd (Glynburn to Fullarton Rd) – 18 minutes up from 12

– Greenhill Rd (Devereux to Fullarton Rd) – 15 minutes up from 8

– Glen Osmond Rd (Conyngham Street to Greenhill Rd) – 15 minutes up from 9

According to the RAA, last year, the intersection of Greenhill and Glen Osmond roads carried an extra 11,200 vehicles per day during the road closure period.

Road closures will be in place from Friday and include:

– Wakefield Rd

– East Terrace (Bartels Rd to Wakefield St)

– Bartels Rd

– Hutt St (Ifould Street to Bartels Rd)

– East Tce (Grenfell St to Bartels Rd

– Dequetteville Tce (Capper St to Bartels Rd, northwest bound)

– Dequetteville Tce (Bartels Rd to Fullarton Rd)

Banked up traffic at the corner of Dequetteville Terrace and Rundle Rd due to road closures for a previous Adelaide 500. Picture: Ben Clark

RAA safety and infrastructure senior manager Charles Mountain urged drivers to plan ahead, leave early or find alternative travel plans or routes.

“Drivers need to plan ahead to avoid delays if driving through the eastern suburbs near the CBD for the next fortnight,” Mr Mountain said.

“Almost all main roads in the area bounded by Pulteney St, Payneham Rd, Portrush Rd and Glen Osmond Rd are likely to be impacted by a longer and sharper peak period.

“Travel time data from previous years shows the delays are at their worst after 7:30am, so if leaving earlier is an option for you, we recommend doing so.

Bumper-to-bumper traffic on Rundle Rd due to road closures for a recent Adelaide 500. Picture: Ben Clark

Mr Mountain suggested some alternatives to hitting the roads.

“This might be a good time to either start later or even work from home for a couple of days if that option is available to you,” he said.

“Another great option is to take the bike on a route such as the Norwood-Magill Bikeway – as cycling may well be quicker than driving during peak hour over the next fortnight.

“Otherwise, consider public transport so you can use the time to read a book or catch up on emails.

“O-Bahn bus services offer a great option as they are nearly fully separated from other traffic until reaching Grenfell Street in the city.”

The advice comes as Member for Bragg Jack Batty MP urged the government to minimise road closures and impact on local residents.

“I know Peter Malinauskas is excited about the car race but road closures should not be in place a second longer than needed.

He said the road and parklands closures seriously impact the local community.

“If Monaco can set up and pack down a Grand Prix in a matter of days why does it take Peter Malinauskas half a year?”