SA - Southern Expressway to finally go both ways

[blueoval]

As of today, the news came thru that Mike Rann has promised the Southern Expressway to go both ways instead of the joke that it has been for the last 10 years, right before the election in SA. Typical

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/poli...-1225831406611

[Ibrox90]

Thank The Lord

[sarrge2001]

But it was only ever designed to spread the load from South Road between Noarlunga to Darlington during peak hour and it works well!

In my opinion, they would be better off spending that money making the road to Victor Harbor dual lane, or trying to fix the mess that is South Road from Melrose Park to Torrens Road.

[ea90gl]

I'll believe it when I see it but pray for it to happen at least, living down south I regularly track up/down the expressway. Ive lost count how many times I've missed it. Its OK up south and only trek down and up for work, but when youe constantly travelling doing things you'll miss it 5 times out of 10.

[dom_105]

And South Australia continue to make tentative steps towards the 21st Century.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by dom_105

And South Australia continue to make tentative steps towards the 21st Century.

yeah, we'll just go one era at a time though and try to make the 20th century first!

[duaned]

Curious to what extent the loss of business to businesses at Darlington, O'Halloran Hill will have as less vehicles will be passing these establishments as a result of the expressway having both directions at the same time?

[pottery beige]

Get ready for the complimentary tax hike/ bitumen levy to pay for this one........

[Barry_v]

I think they should scrap that idea and build another football stadium. or maybe some more trams.

[Iggypoppin']

Maybe they should have done it in the first place. I think it's a great idea, but the money is better spent elsewhere. South road congestion problems and victor harbor road for starters.

[Bushbasher]

Originally Posted by Iggypoppin'

Maybe they should have done it in the first place. I think it's a great idea, but the money is better spent elsewhere. South road congestion problems and victor harbor road for starters.

The problem with South Road is there's bugger all room left to widen it. To do anything meaningful you'd have to demolish every house and business' down one side and rip out all the stobie poles to make room and that ain't going to happen cos it would cost way too much to buy up the land let alone all the other associated demolition and construction costs.


Bushbasher

[Brazen]

Save a billion by revamping the RAH instead of building a new one, save another half a billion by not doing the expressway in both direction and you already have 1 and a half billion to tackle South Road.

Everything else is bandaid steps until South road it tackled.

Everytime I vist Adelaide I am staggered that you guys put up with having South Road as the main thouroughfare across the metro area, you have to stop every 30 secs for traffic lights. it should have on ramps and off ramps and a lot less intersections.

Oh and one more thing, why is Anzac Hwy and Port Rd rated at only 60kmh? those roads would be 70 or 80 anywhere else. Adelaide sure loves their low speed limits.

[blueoval]

South Road has always been an issue.

What if the SEW was to add 1 more lane to its 3 lanes,fit a concrete barrier in between (ala Dyson road hallett cove road) and run 2 lanes either way

[Iggypoppin']

I hear you bushbasher, it's not going to happen I don't think. For one, my work is on south road, and I don't think knocking it down will be very good for me. Two, I guess it's just a dream to see it 3 lanes wide :( . I drive back streets mostly though so it's not so bad.

[Brazen]

I think South RD wont have to necessarily be widened, its two lanes each way, it just needs to have slip lanes and underpasses/overpasses put in to get rid of traffic lights.

[Iggypoppin']

Daws and south intersection, Richmond and south, sir don brad and south..to name but a few

[Bushbasher]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Everytime I vist Adelaide I am staggered that you guys put up with having South Road as the main thouroughfare across the metro area, you have to stop every 30 secs for traffic lights.

Unlike Paramatta Road in Sydney once you get to the end of the freeway heading into the city. :rolleyes:

I used to complain endlessly about Adelaide traffic, especially peak hour.......... until I came to NSW and tried to go up Paramatta Rd. Adelaide at peak hour is less painful than Paramatta road ANYTIME, and peak hour just magnifies the problem. After driving around Sydney on an average week day I'll never complain about Adelaide traffic again. Driving around Adelaide during the week is like driving in Sydney on a sunday. Driving around Adelaide on a sunday is like cruising a country town by comparison. And don't even get me started on the highways and byways in NSW, they're a disgrace, give me SA anytime.


I wanna go home :( :( :(


Bushbasher

[duaned]

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

And don't even get me started on the highways and byways in NSW, they're a disgrace, give me SA anytime.

+1

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

I wanna go home :( :( :(


Bushbasher

+2

[prydey]

you east coast guys need to remember that adelaide is a lot smaller population and business wise than over there. the city probably doesn't need expressways and freeways going everywhere.

Originally Posted by blueoval

What if the SEW was to add 1 more lane to its 3 lanes,fit a concrete barrier in between (ala Dyson road hallett cove road) and run 2 lanes either way

can't happen. if they had some forethought when they built it, they would've made all the overpasses wider 'just in case'!! all the overpasses are only wide enough for the 3 lanes and emergency lanes each side.

[ZA-289]

Yeah it would be good if the Expressway would go both ways, like it should have done from the start. Would have been cheaper to do it right the first time!

But Rann dosn't want a drag strip so he's not getting my vote expressway or not!!!

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by prydey

can't happen. if they had some forethought when they built it, they would've made all the overpasses wider 'just in case'!! all the overpasses are only wide enough for the 3 lanes and emergency lanes each side.

I actually thought it was designed to do just that, when it was opened it was mentioned that in the future if it was to go both ways there was more than enough width on the road, bridges and overpasses to add an extra lane. The government at the time said it was 'future proofed'.

Working in this kind of field, it would be highly unlikely on a project that big that there wouldnt be enough width to add an extra lane in case it was decided to make it both ways in the future.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Brazen

I actually thought it was designed to do just that, when it was opened it was mentioned that in the future if it was to go both ways there was more than enough width on the road, bridges and overpasses to add an extra lane. The government at the time said it was 'future proofed'.

Working in this kind of field, it would be highly unlikely on a project that big that there wouldnt be enough width to add an extra lane in case it was decided to make it both ways in the future.

if this was the case, why are they talking about 'duplicating' the southern expressway, and not just 'widening it'??

from reynella going south, it is only 2 lanes.

brazen - do you live in adelaide and drive on the expressway? do you know how the govt do things in adelaide??

this is a desparate attempt by our premier to stay in power. he's fiddled around with another woman and is now getting his pants pulled down, so he is trying to divert attention elsewhere. i would rather put up with a one way road a little longer if it meant 'media mike' got the boot.

[magoo66]

Originally Posted by dom_105

And South Australia continue to make tentative steps towards the 21st Century.

At least we don't have to pay any tolls to drive on our roads.

[montyv8]

Originally Posted by Iggypoppin'

Maybe they should have done it in the first place.

I think they couldn't afford to do it in the first place, as they were still paying off the debt Labor left for them? Correct me if i'm wrong, i wasn't even in this country back then lol..

But yeah, +1 for spending on victor hbr rd, hospitals, schools etc first.. It's sad when things such as a new footy stadium take priority :

[fordOwner]

Bout bloody time! I could not believe it when I first visited Adelaide - a peak hour freeway??
Personally I think the Govt needs to build a better freeway through the guts of the metro area (Residents will HATE this idea as there homes would be destroyed to do it)
Here in Perth the Govt in the past has demolished whole stretches of blocks to accomodate new highways and freeways costing up to nearly A million dollars per few meters. Huge uproars but years down the track the benifits are huge for the local community and the state.
ALong with the two way freeway plan they should steer away from motor car improvements and expand the Oh Barn (excuse the spelling)
Fingers crossed for you guys tho with the two way freeway.
- just keep an eye out on kids dropping stuff from over passes onto cars as mentioned in a previous thread.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by montyv8

I think they couldn't afford to do it in the first place, as they were still paying off the debt Labor left for them? Correct me if i'm wrong, i wasn't even in this country back then lol..

that would be ironic because i've heard a lot of mud being thrown liberals way due to them being in power when it was built.

[bangm001]

About time, are the opposition doing the same thing though.. Not sure im voting labour again..

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by prydey

if this was the case, why are they talking about 'duplicating' the southern expressway, and not just 'widening it'??

from reynella going south, it is only 2 lanes.

brazen - do you live in adelaide and drive on the expressway? do you know how the govt do things in adelaide??

this is a desparate attempt by our premier to stay in power. he's fiddled around with another woman and is now getting his pants pulled down, so he is trying to divert attention elsewhere. i would rather put up with a one way road a little longer if it meant 'media mike' got the boot.

Yeah visit Adelaide very often and was actually born there, I also have family there and a parent who is not too well. They live in the Onkaparinga Hills, so I usually grab a rental car from the airport and jump on the expressway (if its going the right way)

Doing it one way saves a lot more money than first realised. It means that you use a lot less 'freeway standard' pavement which is staggeringly expensive. Also you only need half the number of off ramps and on ramps - these take a huge amount of land and are very expensive to construct. There simply was not enough money at the time, the Olsen govt at the time could only afford to spend as much as they could and it did relieve a huge amount of pressure off South Rd. There number 1 priority was to pay down state debt so the upgrade would have to wait till later.

Yeah your right about the two lanes part from Old Reynella onwards, this shouldnt be a major deal as the major earthworks for the area has already been done. The biggest part will be the extra onramps offramps.

The good news is that it should be bumped up to 110kmh. Knowing Labor though they'l probably put in point-to-point speed cameras on the upgraded road.

[awoo87]

Anyone remember the MATS plan? Here's a link to what Adelaide should of had & this was in 1968.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropo...ransport_Study