New on and off ramps, more acquisitions and a $15.4bn cost revealed in new Torrens to Darlington reference design

On and off ramps will be added to the Torrens to Darlington project, and elevated motorways dumped, under revised plans. See how it will work.

New on and off ramps will improve connectivity in the state government’s $15.4bn revised design of the Torrens to Darlington project, which will require acquisition of 125 extra properties.

The new plans, revealed on Wednesday after a lengthy review, confirmed the removal of elevated roadways at Anzac Hwy and West Hindmarsh, which were included in the former Liberal government’s $9.9bn 2021 design.

They also reveal a new off-ramp on the motorway, north of Anzac Hwy, would provide access to Richmond Rd and James Congdon Drive, while a new southbound on-ramp from James Congdon Drive will provide an alternative for motorists to travel south.

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New designs for the Torrens-to-Darlington section of the North-South Corridor have been revealed.

As revealed by The Advertiser in October, the northern part of the motorway will be shifted to the east to take South Rd southbound over the corner of the Hindmarsh cemetery. A shorter, low-height structure will be constructed to accommodate the change.

Commercial properties on the eastern side of the road will need to be acquired but homes along Jervois Ave, on the western side, will be saved or only partially acquired.

At Anzac Hwy, the single-lane structure has been removed and right turn from Anzac Hwy on to South Rd has been reinstated for “improved connectivity”. The new design will require acquisition of an extra 12 homes and seven commercial properties.

At the southern end, near Clovelly Park, the entrance to the tunnel has been shifted about 300m to the north, which the government said addressed “a serious safety concern for merging and weaving traffic”.

Editor’s note - drag the cursor to see the before and after photos

A new pedestrian/cyclist bridge will also improve connection between communities along the sides of the corridor.

Of the 125 extra acquisitions required under Labor’s plan, 31 are located at the Clovelly Park end of the southern tunnel.

Another 19 are around the Anzac Hwy intersection, 25 are just north of Anzac Hwy, 32 are at the Richmond Rd/James Congdon Drive connection and Sir Donald Bradman Drive, and the final 18 are between Kings Reserve and the northern end of the project.

Thirteen previously-flagged acquisitions are no longer required under the new plan.

At a cost of $15.4bn, the project will require $5.45bn extra funding, which the state government said would remain split on a 50:50 basis with federal counterparts.

Premier Peter Malinauskas said the state government was in “active discussions” with the Commonwealth for the extra money but would not confirm whether funds had been secured.

“This has been a project that, at a Commonwealth level, has enjoyed bipartisan support,” Mr Malinauskas said.

“The engagement we’ve had with the Commonwealth over the course of the past eight months has been very positive.

“What I can say is that we have been in active discussions. It’s a 50/50 funded project.”

The premier said an independent consultant had been engaged over cost predictions and remained confident the project’s price would not blow out further.

“A lot of effort and scrutiny has been applied to these numbers,” Mr Malinauskas said.

Mr Malinauskas said he was “empathetic” to residents of the additional 125 homes to be acquired but it was an unfortunate reality of the project.

New artist impressions of the Torrens-to-Darlington project.

New artist impressions of the Torrens-to-Darlington project.

New artist impressions of the Torrens-to-Darlington project near the Brickworks.

New artist impressions of the Torrens-to-Darlington project.

New artist impressions of the Torrens-to-Darlington project at Anzac Highway.

“Let me be frank, that’s a tough decision because you know that 125 people are going to be displaced from their own home,” he said.

“That’s real people, real lives and real families and we understand the sacrifice they’ll be making ... notwithstanding that, I’m also conscious of the fact that sometimes, no pain no gain.

“We will deal with them empathetically and sympathetically and try to make it as soon as possible.”

Of the 125 additional properties required, 16 need only partial acquisition.

Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis said those whose properties were only partially required for the project would be given the option of either full acquisition or compensation for the portion of land to be taken.

“If they want to stay, we’ll let them stay. If they want to go, we’ll buy them and we’ll be very, very generous,” Mr Koutsantonis said.

Calls and visits to the 125 homes and businesses began last week, but five landowners still needed to be contacted, Mr Koutsantonis said.

Opposition infrastructure and transport spokesman Vincent Tarzia criticised the review process, and said the $5.5bn “cost blowout” was “a massive kick in the guts for taxpayers”.

“Let’s be crystal clear, Labor’s audit was conducted only on the information provided by the Malinauskas Labor government to a third party, meaning only the details Labor wanted to be seen were reviewed,” he said.

“Tom Koutsantonis was always opposed to the original design, which is why he was so quick to announce a hold on the project.

“He’s spent the past eight months retrofitting a review process to justify his changes, which are going to destroy more houses at a greater cost.”

Originally published as New on and off ramps, more acquisitions and a $15.4bn cost revealed in new Torrens to Darlington reference design