Torrens to Darlington unveils reference design
Adelaide’s $9.9 billion Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project has taken another step forward with the release of its reference design.
The release, which is open to community feedback, shows for the first time the design of the project in its entirety and how motorists will travel between the River Torrens and Anzac Highway, including:
- More than 2km of twin three-lane tunnels
- The avoidance of impact on heritage sites in Adelaide’s inner-west
- The extent of the Northern Tunnels, with entry and exit points at Hilton and Torrensville
- East-west connectivity maintained and enhanced at James Congdon Drive, Richmond Road, and Everard and Barwell avenues
The reference design covers the full length of the 10.5km non-stop motorway between the River Torrens and Darlington, which includes nearly 7km of tunnels that will take tens of thousands of vehicles off South Road every day.
The T2D project is the largest road infrastructure project in South Australia’s history and when completed in 2030, it will provide a 78km non-stop, traffic light-free North-South Corridor between Gawler and Old Noarlunga.
South Australia’s Premier, Steven Marshall, said this project will underpin the state’s construction industry for the next decade.
“This project is not only a generational game changer for South Australian motorists, it’s also a huge boost for our local jobs market,” Mr Marshall said.
“The benefits of our solution will be felt for generations with this project estimated to create more than 4,900 jobs during peak construction, reduce travel time between River Torrens to Darlington to just nine minutes and connect the north and south of our state with an approximately 78km non-stop motorway.”
South Australia’s Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Corey Wingard, said this transformative motorway is the largest and most technically challenging road infrastructure project South Australia has ever seen.
“The design includes two sets of three-lane tunnels making up more than approximately 60 per cent of the motorway and it retains significant sites such as the Thebarton Theatre, Queen of Angels Church and Hindmarsh Cemetery,” Mr Wingard said.
“The positioning of the northern portal of the Northern Tunnels means Thebarton Oval, the historic World War II air-raid shelter at Ashley Street, and the 1912 Hallett kiln and chimney next to the Brickworks Marketplace will also be retained.”
Currently, 16 per cent of all trips across Greater Adelaide rely on a section of the T2D project or its adjacent parallel alternatives, and 96 per cent of people live within 30 minutes of the North-South Corridor, highlighting how important it is to complete the missing piece.
“Anyone who’s travelled along this section of South Road knows it’s desperately needed upgrading for years and we’re getting on with the job of doing just that,” Mr Wingard said.
“Travel time variability on South Road is up to six times higher than the Adelaide average and five times worse than Sydney and Melbourne averages during peak.
“Once complete, the T2D project will solve that by allowing motorists to travel safely and non-stop between the completed Darlington and Torrens Road to River Torrens projects.”
The T2D project has already awarded contracts worth more than $100 million, supporting 286 jobs.