[U/C] M2 North-South Motorway

[claybro]

In the meantime, the Feds threw money at a freight transport study and decided they would help fund the Superway.

Earlier this year the Labor federal government announced that they would help fund the Torrens section of South Road, making it suddenly affordable and therefore achievable.

Of course with the current Liberal federal government, the situation is changing again

If this is the actual chronological order of events, it is certainly not what was communicated to the public.
yes the torrens section was taken off the table due to lack of money from the state, but this still does not explain why to suddenly do the Darlington study.
the superway was funded by the Federal government in response to the GFC, but it was a project THE STATE put forward, from memory to get off the ground quickly and be a large display of "something" being done for Mike and Kev. No one in the transport industry asked for this section to commence prior to other sections, nor could anyone really figure out why other than it was the easiest section to do quickly (if you call 4 years quick). And where was all the lobying for the Torrens section then?
The state and federal governments only announced the Torrens resurection AFTER the Liberal announcement on Darlington.(did the libs even know of the existence of plans for the "secret freeway next to South Road?) In fact only this year we were all posting on here wondering why at completion of the superway, that no other section was to commence, and what a waste of workforce it was to close it all down.
As much as i like Jay and most of the current state team, the state government has absolutely NIL credibilty on this whole suject, and as much as I would like the feds to cahnge thier minds on darlington, the blame should lay squarely with the state government.

[rhino]

As I recall, the Federal Government threw $70million at South Australia, to look at what would most benefit the future interstate freight task. About half this money was spent on the review (which was around the time of the GFC), and it was decided that from a freight transport point of view, an upgrade was required from the PRExsy to the Regency Park freight hub. The state may have put it forward, but the state would have had a hard time convincing the Feds that an upgrade to the Torrens section of South Road would benefit the interstate freight task, wouldn't they? The Feds then threw a bundle of money at it, and the state had to pitch in the rest. This money was for the superway project only, and the state could not spend it on another part of South Road, as it was an outcome of the federally-funded review.

I have a printout of a DTEI webpage (now expired) from 2008 detailing the (then) plans for South Road under Port and Grange Roads, scheduled to start in 2010. When the project was deemed too costly, I imagine the State Govt realised it had to come up with another stretch of the road to upgrade, which was more affordable, so as not to be seen to be doing nothing about improving the north-south road. Hence the Darlington Transport Study.

I am guessing that the Federal Libs offered to help fund the Darlington section of the road because a) it looked like the next section that was going to be completed anyway. b) it was cheaper than the Torrens section or they hadn't looked at the State Govt's previous plans from 2008. c) it affected Boothby, a marginal seat that they needed to retain.

[claybro]

I would suspect Rhino your review of the situation is pretty close to the mark. I guess from any viewpoint, it is politics which continues to bog this down. i suspect now the new federal government is damned if they do or dont. Change funding to the Torrens section and hear the uproar from Southern residents and cries of broken promise. Keep to the Darlington upgrade and just wait for the bunfight if the Torrens section is delayed. It seems many have been fooled by the drilling truck taking samples in Croydon that the Torrens section is ready to go...it is not! Less than half the properties to be bulldosed are even empty. Surely it is time for the state government to be dragged kicking in screeming into releasing a plan and timeline for this entire route to get the politics out of the way!

[zippySA]

The games continue with DPTI calling tenders for site contamination and geotech study of the Torrens to Torrens section - seems they are going to plough on and see what happens.

Lots of agreement with other posts - all politicians currently are being way too "black or white" and fencing themselves into positions that ignore real needs and beneficial outcomes - think they should all remember that compromise and engagement is a fundamental part of democratic politics and they need to consider expert opinions and non-political advice from Departmental types to weigh up decisions.

Surely there is enough money from the original $70M grant for "studies" to enable one section to proceed with investigations and design development whilst the big money gets allocated to start one, and then the second section will be in a fantastic state of detail to immediately start in a logical, planned manner and as additional funds become available.

[Waewick]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-07/p ... section=sa

The Opposition has vowed South Road will be upgraded at Darlington if it wins the South Australian election next March.

The Federal Government has promised $500 million for the upgrade, which is at odds with the SA Labor Government's current plan to upgrade South Road from the River Torrens to Torrens Road.

Opposition Leader Steven Marshall said a state Liberal government would spend $520 million on removal of three intersections between Flagstaff and Ayliffes Roads.

[rev]

And if they win, who wants to bet they will delay it indefinitely and blame Labors spending.

[monotonehell]

And if they win, who wants to bet they will delay it indefinitely and blame Labors spending.

They'll build just the left hand lanes

[Waewick]

And if they win, who wants to bet they will delay it indefinitely and blame Labors spending.

I don't think so, the Feds are dead keen on infrastructure spend so it will keep going.

what we can only hope is that the feds chuck in more money to keep the Torrens to Torrens section going as well.

[claybro]

i get angrier about this by the day. The best outcome would be for the Libs to suck it up and agree to fund the Torrens section, but we now have Vicky Chapman bleating about spending money on prep work for the Torrens section. Well Vicky, just what is your timeline for the also vital Torrens section? Do we just pack up after Darlington..job well done folks and thats it, just like their one way Southern Expressway???? then there is state Labor pretending the Torrens section is so far advanced, it simpley cannot be stopped now!!! Well had they not been hiding this in the shadows for the last 12 months, perhaps it would be more advanced, and the Federal money already commited! Time for the federal infratructure authority in charge to demand some answers from this state as to a comprehensive plan and timescale for this route....oh thats right they have, and it includes tolls, but Koutsantonis goes into heart failure at the mere mention of it, and pretends it is not on the table. What a joke our state politicians are!

[Patrick_27]

i get angrier about this by the day. The best outcome would be for the Libs to suck it up and agree to fund the Torrens section, but we now have Vicky Chapman bleating about spending money on prep work for the Torrens section. Well Vicky, just what is your timeline for the also vital Torrens section? Do we just pack up after Darlington..job well done folks and thats it, just like their one way Southern Expressway???? then there is state Labor pretending the Torrens section is so far advanced, it simpley cannot be stopped now!!! Well had they not been hiding this in the shadows for the last 12 months, perhaps it would be more advanced, and the Federal money already commited! Time for the federal infratructure authority in charge to demand some answers from this state as to a comprehensive plan and timescale for this route....oh thats right they have, and it includes tolls, but Koutsantonis goes into heart failure at the mere mention of it, and pretends it is not on the table. What a joke our state politicians are!

I have to agree with your comments about hiding in the shadow. Had both the former-Federal and State governments actually committed money to this 12 months prior to an election and got it underway, people may have got a taste for their pro-active side; then they could have promised smaller projects during their campaigning. Stupidity!

[fabricator]

The Labor plan to do the Torrens section makes far more sense, even if they get as far as bulldozing some properties and undergrounding all the stupid great power poles it will be an improvement.

There are serious safety issues on the section of South Road between Port Road and Torrens Road, no such issues exist with the Darlington project.
Trucks in right hand lanes so they avoid clipping the power poles in the left lane that in some cases are concreted into the curbing. Narrow road, no medium strip, ongoing problem with head on smashes between trucks in right hand and oncoming cars, power poles damaged and sometimes torn entirely, uneven surface.

So what reasoning have the Liberals come up with for choosing Darlington instead, oh it has a higher volume of traffic. Well duh, the Torrens section is so bloody dangerous that people avoid driving on it.

[ml69]

So what reasoning have the Liberals come up with for choosing Darlington instead, oh it has a higher volume of traffic. Well duh, the Torrens section is so bloody dangerous that people avoid driving on it.

The obvious unspoken truth ... they think upgrading Darlington will win them more marginal seats at the state election than upgrading Torrens to Torrens. It's that simple.

[claybro]

So what reasoning have the Liberals come up with for choosing Darlington instead, oh it has a higher volume of traffic. Well duh, the Torrens section is so bloody dangerous that people avoid driving on it.

The obvious unspoken truth ... they think upgrading Darlington will win them more marginal seats at the state election than upgrading Torrens to Torrens. It's that simple.

This is nothing to do with the state election. The Federal oposition proposed funding Darlington (already previosly proposed by state Labor then canned) before the federal election, and before the state government got their panties in a twist and suddenly decided the torrens section was the most important. (Labor had apparently kept this proposal secret for some time). Prior to the federal Liberal announcement on Darlington ,-Labor had nothing further on the table regarding ANY section of South road. It was a clear election promise from the Federal Libs. Will it help with any state seats for the Libs? I am not so sure. One thing I do know, both state parties have ZERO credibility on this whole subject. The other interesting thing to note though, at the Federal election, the Torrens section has now become marginal Liberal, so I would hope, there will be plenty of pressure from the new Liberal member for Hindmarsh to make torrens the next section for federal funding at the next federal election as it now appears our state politicians, too lazy/inept to propose alternative ways of funding, wait for a hand out from both Federal parties.

[Mr Smith]

Both sections are critical and should be done simultaneously. The Superway project will wind down shortly and it makes sense to move to the next stage as seamlessly as possible. The state labour govt has shown little restraint in borrowing money for other projects, the South Road upgrade is arguably the most vital infrastructure project in Adelaide ATM, so borrow some more money and get on with it. The state shouldn't be hamstrung by the feds, if the feds kick in great, if not get on with it anyway.

[monotonehell]

Both sections are critical and should be done simultaneously. The Superway project will wind down shortly and it makes sense to move to the next stage as seamlessly as possible. The state labour govt has shown little restraint in borrowing money for other projects, the South Road upgrade is arguably the most vital infrastructure project in Adelaide ATM, so borrow some more money and get on with it. The state shouldn't be hamstrung by the feds, if the feds kick in great, if not get on with it anyway.

Agree, however it will be important to stop and gather data on what effects the Superway causes before moving onto the next step. Surprise induced demand and so on may change the needs of future sections.