Frustrating Adelaide roadworks tripling commutes, destroying car parks | Peter Goers

They may be necessary for SA’s growing population, but the continuous road closures and car park works are the most frustrating part of my day, writes Peter Goers.

It seems like most of Adelaide is under construction with roadworks, Peter Goers observes. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

Once, on my radio show I asked listeners to describe Adelaide in one word. The best answer was “roadworks”.

Currently, the vast Adelaide metro area seems to be coming apart with roadworks. Ah, well … no pain, no gain.

Doubtless they are needed but … Christ on a bike, it’s annoying. Speaking of cyclists, roadworks annoy them too and at least that’s a blessing.

We all enjoy and need good roads and improved traffic flow, but we all wish they’d hurry up and finish.

Also, it seems that this time of the year is peak season for roadworks. Is this because contractors employed by councils and the state government are fulfilling their contracts before the end of the financial year?

Does EOFY really mean roadworks everywhere?

This accepted wisdom probably applies to councils (responsible for suburban roads) more so than the state government, which is responsible for arterial roads and large infrastructure projects.

Construction work on Jetty Rd, which is undergoing $60m revamp, resulting in lots of issues for traders and people visiting. Picture: Dean Martin

Think twice about driving anywhere near Glenelg.

There are two massive roadworks along Anzac Highway.

A trip down Anzac Highway from Greenhill Rd to Colley Tce usually takes me 15 minutes tops.

Recently because of the roadworks it took me 45 very frustrating minutes. I’m not very Zen about this and there were more roadworks to come.

Colley Tce, Glenelg, is closed for roadworks, sending thousands of vehicles per day through narrow side streets. Wait … there’s more.

Glenelg’s Jetty Rd is undergoing a highly controversial redevelopment and the eastern end is torn up and often completely closed.

Traders and residents are appalled.

I know residents whose cars are trapped. Residents and others have been informed they may obtain information about the closures by calling Transforming Jetty Road.

I rang the number supplied 17 times over three days and each time the recorded message told me I could not leave a message.

Then the work was botched. The new curbing was too high and had to be replaced.

Holdfast Bay Mayor Amanda Wilson has admitted “it was a mistake”.

The Jetty Rd redevelopment will inhibit traffic and customers for at least the next two years. Most Jetty Rd carparks will be permanently removed.

Is this progress?

Hopefully it will be worth it.

Traffic congestion on Adelaide roads is a common sight. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

Maybe people will say, “Let’s go to Glenelg where it’s really difficult to get a car park but we can look at the planter boxes”.

There are roadworks on Main North Rd and Hawker St, Brompton, is completely closed to through traffic, Greenhill Rd was recently gridlocked when two lanes were closed and there are roadworks in the city, etc.

Developers easily get whole traffic lanes closed off for many months at a time to facilitate the ease of their building – witness the Parade West at Kent Town and Osmond Tce, Norwood, etc. What, if anything, do developers pay to inconvenience thousands of motorists daily?

Roadworks are essential but it’s so vexing to have to be held up by roadworks when there is no road working happening or, worse, when you sit in gridlocked traffic at roadworks, as I did the other day, to see no roadworks happening and three high-vis-clad roadworkers doing nothing but pointing and laughing at the traffic banked up.

Sometimes “roadworks” really just means equipment being stored on the road.

As the population of our wonderful city increases so does our traffic.

Thus, the need for carparking increases – yet urban planners are intent on removing street parking and narrowing roads for planter boxes, “parklets” and shockingly little-used bike lanes.

The Marshall government widened major intersections (Magill/Portrush roads, Fullarton/Cross roads) to more efficiently funnel traffic on to the same narrow roads and now the current state government is continuing this trend at Sir Donald Bradman Drive/Marion Rd and at several Anzac Highway intersections.

Fasten your seat belts and develop the patience of saints because we’re about to get at least 10 years of the desperately-needed South Rd redevelopment.

Bring it on. Roadworks are essential but they drive us mad.

HOT/NOT

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NOT

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Originally published as Frustrating Adelaide roadworks tripling commutes, destroying car parks | Peter Goers