Successful tender and extended scope announced for Darlington upgrade project

The tender to construct the $620 million Darlington upgrade project has been awarded to Gateway South – a joint venture between Fulton Hogan and Laing O’Rourke.

Announcing the successful tender in Adelaide today, Minister for Major Projects Paul Fletcher said he had also given in-principle agreement to extend the scope of the Darlington project by approximately one kilometre, to north of Tonsley Boulevard.

“I am also pleased to announce that the Australian and South Australian Governments are working together to consider Flinders Link – an extension of the Tonsley rail line,” Mr Fletcher said.

Under the proposal, the existing Tonsley rail line would be extended to the Flinders University and Flinders Medical Centre and complement work already being undertaken to improve connectivity between Tonsley and the Flinders precinct. “The $620 million Darlington interchange project is part of the broader $2.5 billion North-South Road Corridor upgrade, towards which the Turnbull Government has committed $1.7 billion over the next decade,” Mr Fletcher said.

“The overall North-South Corridor is one of Adelaide’s most important transport corridors.

“Without significant new investment, the corridor will continue to experience severe congestion and will not be able to cope with projected traffic growth.

“The Darlington project will reduce congestion, improve safety, boost freight transport productivity and increase competitiveness for export industries.

“Travel time savings are also expected to be significant for motorists and public transport users.”

Federal Member for Boothby Andrew Southcott said the revised scope of the Darlington project involves reconfiguring approximately 3.3 kilometres of South Road, from the Southern Expressway to north of Tonsley Boulevard, into an expressway-standard road. “It will include a lowered non-stop motorway that passes underneath Flinders Drive, Sturt Road, Mimosa Terrace/Sutton Road, Ayliffes Road and Tonsley Boulevard,” Dr Southcott said.

“There will be at-grade service roads along both sides of the lowered motorway, and a full free-flow interchange at junction of the Southern Expressway and Main South Road.

“The increased scope will extend the upgrade by about one kilometre to avoid another two sets of traffic lights, including the busy intersection of South, Ayliffes and Shepherds Hill roads.”

South Australian Transport and Infrastructure Minister Stephen Mullighan said construction on the Darlington project is expected to commence in early 2016, and to be completed by the end of 2018.

“I look forward to seeing the project underway and later seeing the benefits flow to traffic and industry in this State,” Mr Mullighan said. “I am also looking forward to considering the benefits a proposed extension of the Tonsley rail line may achieve, including a reduction in travel times from connectivity of the existing rail network to the Flinders Medical Centre.”

The $620 million Darlington upgrade project is being jointly funded with $496 million from the Australian Government and $124 million from the South Australian Government.

Further information on the project, including a concept drive through animation, is online at www.infrastructure.sa.gov.au/nsc/darlington_upgrade_project.

Source: News Release, South Australian Government, 20 December, 2015

http://www.premier.sa.gov.au/images/news_releases/2015/15_12Dec/Darlington_upgrade__Mullighan.pdf