Hundreds of thousands of South Australians are a step closer to quicker, safer travel, amid the beginning of a new round of job-creating ground investigations, focusing on the Southern Tunnel section of the North-South Corridor.
The new round of critical ground investigations between Darlington and Anzac Highway will be carried out by Adelaide-based industry leader Aurecon – creating more than 40 jobs.
The ground investigations will help determine the final design of the Southern Tunnel and to keep local residents and businesses informed the State Government will increase community engagement in the area.
This week, as planning and early works continue, the Department of Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) will doorknock residents and businesses in the area to keep them up to date of the progress being made.
Earlier ground investigations and engineering survey site works have been completed at approximately 200 drilling sites with over 5,000 tests along the corridor. This as well as early planning and design work has created more than 200 jobs so far.
Premier Steven Marshall said the North-South Corridor is South Australia's most important infrastructure project.
"The North-South Corridor project will transform the 10.5-kilometre stretch between River Torrens and Darlington, reducing travel times by up to 24 minutes, improving safety and creating up to 4,000 jobs," Premier Marshall said.
"The Marshall Liberal Government is working closely with the Federal Government to deliver this generational piece of infrastructure and I welcome the funding in last night's Budget.
"We are getting on with delivering the most important infrastructure project in South Australia's history and these early works are an important step to ensure we get the best possible design.
"The former Labor Government failed to do the necessary planning work and took tunnels off the table putting hundreds of extra homes, businesses and heritage sites at risk.
"Our hybrid solution involving a combination of tunnels and motorways is the best result for al South Australians and will revolutionise the way we travel creating a 78-kilometre non-stop motorway.
"This project forms part of our record $16.7 billion investment in infrastructure across the state which is creating more than 19,000 jobs and building what matters for South Australia."
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Corey Wingard said the new investigation works, which will support 42 jobs, are essential to the project and will ensure the design is right for the local conditions.
"These investigation works are a critical element in this massive project – the information gathered will inform the final design and ensure we deliver a world-class piece of congestion-busting infrastructure," Minister Wingard said.
"The Torrens to Darlington (T2D) component of the North-South Corridor will deliver an economic boost for South Australia and the local community during and after construction, increasing freight productivity, reducing travel times and improving safety for road users.
"Due to its location, ground conditions, unique heritage assets and social character, the final section of the corridor is the most complex piece of the project to deliver and will feature a combination of tunnels and surface-level motorway.
"In the first phase, the team investigated approximately 200 boreholes along the 10.5-kilometre corridor. This second phase of investigations will be undertaken through approximately 250 boreholes on the southern section of the project alignment, between Anzac Highway and Darlington Interchange.
"It is important to note that the location of the investigation works are not necessarily where construction will occur – we need to understand the soil conditions along the entire alignment.
"Department staff will soon be doorknocking in the southern section of the project area, to ensure everyone is kept informed on what's going on."
The contract to complete these essential works is being awarded to Aurecon, an Adelaide-based industry leader with experience in major infrastructure projects around Australia. Locally Aurecon's experience includes the Torrens
Road to River Torrens Project, Darlington Upgrade Project and Victor Harbor Road Planning Study.
The completion of the project will deliver a 78-kilometre non-stop, free-flowing motorway that seamlessly links Gawler, to the north of the city, with Old Noarlunga in the south.
The Australian and South Australian governments have committed $5.4 billion towards delivering the T2D Project.
