Contractors selected for Mt Barker and Verdun Interchange upgrades, state government announces
The state government has announced a major milestone for the multimillion-dollar project that will upgrade two Adelaide Hills interchanges.
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Contracts have been awarded to deliver $150m of upgrades to two major interchanges in the Adelaide Hills.
The state government announced on Friday three companies – including South Australian civil engineering company, Bardavcol Pty Ltd – would will deliver interchange upgrade projects at Mt Barker and Verdun.
Bardavcol, which has been awarded the contract for Mount Barker interchange, has 45 years of experience in the state, including on the Marion Rd and Sir Donald Bradman Drive intersection upgrade that is currently underway.
In Mount Barker, the company will deliver a new three-lane bridge across the South Eastern Freeway for northbound traffic and convert the existing bridge to make three new lanes for southbound traffic.
It will also deliver a new mixed-used path, improve ramp capacity, new traffic signals, repaired pavements and smart lighting for extra safety.
Upgrades in Verdun, will be a joint venture between BMD and Leed, it was revealed.
Under this project, the existing Verdun Interchange will be upgraded to a full interchange, allowing access to and from the South Eastern Freeway in both directions.
It will feature an eastbound entry ramp towards Mount Barker, and a new westbound exit ramp, which will cross under the existing westbound entry ramp and connect with a new roundabout at Mount Barker Rd, adjacent to Silver Rd.
The upgrade also includes pavement rehabilitation and upgrades to traffic barriers on the existing Adelaide-bound entry ramp and bridge pier protection on Mount Barker Road.
Infrastructure and Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the contractors have a “great history delivering significant infrastructure projects”, with the major works expected to make traffic “easier and safer”.
“These works will provide a much-needed upgrade to the way Adelaide Hills residents travel,” Mr Koutsantonis said.
“We’re seeing significant population growth in Mount Barker and surrounding areas and we need to ensure we have the road infrastructure in place to support this.”
According to the government, the upgrades have been designed to improve safety and increase traffic flow for the 31,200 vehicles that travel along the Freeway between the Mount Barker and Verdun interchanges each day.
It’s estimated up to 46,000 vehicles travel from Verdun to the city daily.
Currently, queuing is a huge issue in Mount Barker and 43 crashes were reported between 2019 and 2023.
There were 11 reported crashes at the Verdun Interchange in the same period.
Work on the $150m projects – funded by an $120m federal government commitment and $30m from the state government – is expected to begin in late 2025 and be completed by late 2027.
About 260 full-time jobs will be created during the construction period.
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Originally published as Contractors selected for Mt Barker and Verdun Interchange upgrades, state government announces
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