Anzac Highway loop exit roads to allow right-hand turns on to South Rd without traffic lights

An “innovative” new design for Anzac Highway and South Rd has been revealed – and it ditches traffic lights for right-hand turns. See how it works.

Motorists will be able to turn right on to a non-stop South Rd from both directions on Anzac Highway – without traffic lights – under a new plan for “innovative” exit loops.

The $8.7m redesign will allow drivers to continue through the Anzac Highway intersection and then turn left into a loop road.

The loops will circle motorists back to merge with traffic on South Rd – from there they can merge on to the North-South Motorway.

It will remove the need for cars to queue for long times on Anzac Highway at red lights and turn across oncoming traffic. Two properties will be acquired for the new design.

Earlier designs by the Liberals scrapped right-hand turns from Anzac Highway on to South Rd and instead proposed a large “unsightly” raised structure over the motorway.

Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the government had always promised to return the capacity to turn right and merge on to South Rd.

New exit loops will allow motorists to turn right on to South Rd from Anzac Highway in both directions without traffic lights. Picture: SA Government

How the Anzac Highway exit loops will work. Picture: SA Government

“But retaining right-turn lanes would inevitably lead to extensive queuing during peak hours, and as traffic volumes increase with time,” he said.

“This new solution eliminates that problem, ensuring cars turning right don’t need to stop at all – instead looping left before merging on to the North-South Motorway.

Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis. Picture: Kelly Barnes

“Local commuters know all too well how congested Anzac Highway can get at peak times, and freeing up this intersection with this innovative new design will help traffic flow more smoothly while keeping local neighbourhoods connected.”

Construction on the loop exits – part of the $15.4bn Torrens to Darlington upgrade – should begin in the second half of 2026. They are scheduled to open to motorists in 2028. The $8.7m budget will be delivered within the T2D project.

Two non-residential property owners have been told their land will be acquired for the loops.

Because of minor changes to the T2D design, the total number of property acquisitions required remains unchanged at 524, a state government spokesman said.

The government said the loops would allow people to maintain access to local destinations such as Black Forest Primary School and Tennyson Medical Centre, which is already difficult to access for some patients.

Modelling shows motorists will save about two minutes on average for the 3000-odd cars that use Anzac Highway daily between Marion Rd and Greenhill Rd at peak times.

It will also future-proof the intersection from delays as more traffic builds up into the future, increase pedestrians safety and improve overall traffic flow.

The enhanced design also reduces the amount of modification works needed on the existing Gallipoli Underpass.

It comes as work starts on a precinct in Clovelly Park to house the giant tunnel-boring machines to dig the tunnels along South Rd.

The purpose-built 1300m-long site is where the tunnel boring machines will launch to construct the 4.5km southern tunnels, which will run from Clovelly Park to just south of the Glenelg tramline in Glandore.

Originally published as Anzac Highway loop exit roads to allow right-hand turns on to South Rd without traffic lights