U/C: Dukes Highway Duplication

[Edgar]

Since you guys started discussing about the Gepps Cross plan, I seriously think we need a proper Freeway, or Highway, or Expressway for the Northern Suburbs.

At the moment we only have Salisbury Highway, which is not very accessible for daily commuting from the CBD, because it starts from South Road, Hanson Road, Port Adelaide. All of which are not in the direction to the CBD.

But I cannot think of how this can be done at this point, given there is no empty lands or the ability to convert any existing roads into such standard. However looking at the rate of developments up north, we seriously need to come up with a better and more efficient transport, either rail or roads.

[Cruise]

Since you guys started discussing about the Gepps Cross plan, I seriously think we need a proper Freeway, or Highway, or Expressway for the Northern Suburbs.

At the moment we only have Salisbury Highway, which is not very accessible for daily commuting from the CBD, because it starts from South Road, Hanson Road, Port Adelaide. All of which are not in the direction to the CBD.

But I cannot think of how this can be done at this point, given there is no empty lands or the ability to convert any existing roads into such standard. However looking at the rate of developments up north, we seriously need to come up with a better and more efficient transport, either rail or roads.

where getting one mate, the northern expressway!!!

[drsmith]

• $65 million for New Port Wakefield Road construction;
• $120 million Port Wakefield Bypass;

now this is interesting, this will get you pretty far past Port Wakefield (heading north that is)

just incase for your reference the road that heads north of Port Wakefield (Port Augusta direction) is also called Port Wakefield road

what else will we be bribed with for howard to try and get work choices through?

From what I can tell the New Port Wakefield road is to be a new road that will link the western end of the New Northern Expressway directly to the Port River Expressway and is to be built around the middle of the next decade. The upgrade currenty planned for the existing Port Wakefield Road between the New Northern Expressway and the Sailsbury Highway overpass are only considered a medium term upgrade.

The folowing Hansard document contains further information on pages 18 and 19.

http://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/San/pub ... essway.htm

With regard to the recent funding announcement for the Port Wakefield Bypass are there any recent plans around ?

All I can find is a crude bypass map from the Wakefield Regional Council which shows a bypass allingment east of Port Wakefield, Kulpara road traffic still travelling through Port Wakefield and merging with the Port Wakefield Road south of Port Wakefield (possible grade seperation), a possible new road north of the existing Kulpara Road/Port Wakefield Road intersection connecting the Kulpara Road to the Port Wakefield Road (Bussenchutts Road) and possible grade seperation of the Balaklava road with the bypass.

The above map is shown on page 30 of the Wakefield Regional Council's Development Plan from January 2007.

http://www.planning.sa.gov.au/edp/pdf/WAKR.PDF

I would have thought that merging the Kuplara Road/Porth Wakefield road traffic north of Port Wakefield would have been a better option than merging it to the south.

[rhino]

I would have thought that merging the Kuplara Road/Porth Wakefield road traffic north of Port Wakefield would have been a better option than merging it to the south.

You might find that the Wakefield Regional Council had something to do with that decision. Years ago, it was the traders in Port Wakefield who stalled the by-pass, claiming it would be bad for business. Now it has got to the point where heavy freight on Highway 1 really needs a bypass, but I would say the town businesses still want the holiday traffic (Yorke Peninsula traffic) to go through it, and so have pushed for the Yorke Peninsula exit to be south of the town.

That would be my guess, anyway.

[drsmith]

You might find that the Wakefield Regional Council had something to do with that decision. Years ago, it was the traders in Port Wakefield who stalled the by-pass, claiming it would be bad for business. Now it has got to the point where heavy freight on Highway 1 really needs a bypass, but I would say the town businesses still want the holiday traffic (Yorke Peninsula traffic) to go through it, and so have pushed for the Yorke Peninsula exit to be south of the town.

That would be my guess, anyway.

When (or soon after) the dual carrigeway was completed to it's present position just south of Port Wakfeield, I do recall seeing a bypass plan in a newspaper. If I remember correctly the plan was for a single carrigeway to be constructed east of Port Wakefield with two lanes for southbound traffic with the current carrigeway through the town for northbound traffic. It struck me as an odd plan. I can also recall opposition to a bypass with the suggestion that if it is built, Port Wakefield should be renamed Tombstone.

At the time a bypass was being constructed around Dublin (early-mid 90's) I can recall a local businessman saying saying that the plan at that time was to bypass Port Wakefield and extend the dual carrigeway to Snowtown.

I too suspect that the WRC plan has been influenced by local business interests. From what I have seen the current bottleneck is Port Wakefield itself when there is increased holiday traffic. Assuming that most of this holiday traffic is destined for Yorke Peninsula, merging south of Port Wakefield in only of limited value. Under the plan, Bussenchutts Road would be an alternative for YP traffic looking to bypass Port wakefield but not a particurally practical one.

Times have changed since the mid 90's. If the Wakefield Waters development goes ahead that will present new business opportunities in the area. I also note the large BP service station constructed at Dublin since it was bypassed. Somoene there obviously saw an opportunity instead of a problem (and they serve very nice fish and chips).

I do recall from another document that one of the reasons Port Wakefield was not bypassed in the mid-late 90's was that truckies preferred to stop there instead of Port Augusta. A decision was therefore taken to upgrade the intersection north of Port Wakefield to give the national highway priority and also to do some modifications to the road within Port Wakefield itself.

I see the above modification to the intersection north of Port Wakefield as a poor one as it resulted in a minor traffic movement (right hand turn on Port Wakefield Road southbound towards Kulpara) giving way to a major movement (Yorke Peninsula traffic southbound towards Port Wakefield). The table in the following link shows the crash record for the above intersection over a 10 year period including the first year after it was modified. What stands out is the increase in the accident rate in the first year of the modified intersection.

http://sa.democrats.org.au/parlt/budget99/0525_g.htm

Further modifications were subsequently made to the southbound approach from Kulpara to raise it for better visability for traffic turning right onto the Port Wakefield road.

[drsmith]

Here's the renders of GeppX underpass, thanks to Al again.

Before


After

Looking at the Gepps Cross intersection as it is, a five phase traffic signal is required to cater for all possible traffic movements with the simplest control being the entry of vechiles to the intersection from each of the five approaching roads in turn.

Is this how the current intersecion operates ?

Looking at the proposed intersection, a four phase traffic signal will still be required to cater for all possible movements. This can be achieved without the underpass by diverting the southbound Port Wakefield Road traffic onto Main North Road prior to reaching the intersection (as shown in the second image*). However if one right hand turn is banned with the proposed intersection (sharp right hand turn from Main North Road southwest bound onto the Port Wakefield Road northbound), the number of signal phases for all remaining traffic movements can be reduced to three.

The proposed intersection design is clearly aimed at enhancing freight movement on Grand Junction Road through the intersection.

* Edit 13/11/07

[Brando]

Looking at that last render, where does the Cuty bound Pt Wakefield Rd go? It looks like it goes into a dead end court

[AG]

Looking at that last render, where does the Cuty bound Pt Wakefield Rd go? It looks like it goes into a dead end court

It's a bit hard to spot, but you'll notice in the render that Port Wakefield Road citybound turns southeast to join up with Main North Road.

[rhino]

Looking at that last render, where does the Cuty bound Pt Wakefield Rd go? It looks like it goes into a dead end court

Check out page 5 of this thread - it's explained there, along with an idea for improving it.

[Brando]

Thanks AG and rhino. Although great for the Gepps intersection, as mentioned, it's now another set of lights for Main Nth Rd.

Thanks again guys.

[thechap]

What happens to kart mania??

[Brando]

What happens to kart mania??

I work just down the road from them, AFAIK they will only be keeping the Richmond site.

[drwaddles]

I do recall from another document that one of the reasons Port Wakefield was not bypassed in the mid-late 90's was that truckies preferred to stop there instead of Port Augusta. A decision was therefore taken to upgrade the intersection north of Port Wakefield to give the national highway priority and also to do some modifications to the road within Port Wakefield itself.

I see the above modification to the intersection north of Port Wakefield as a poor one as it resulted in a minor traffic movement (right hand turn on Port Wakefield Road southbound towards Kulpara) giving way to a major movement (Yorke Peninsula traffic southbound towards Port Wakefield). The table in the following link shows the crash record for the above intersection over a 10 year period including the first year after it was modified. What stands out is the increase in the accident rate in the first year of the modified intersection.

http://sa.democrats.org.au/parlt/budget99/0525_g.htm

Further modifications were subsequently made to the southbound approach from Kulpara to raise it for better visability for traffic turning right onto the Port Wakefield road.

Apologies for digging up and old post - but this interesting

What was the layout of the A1/B85 intersection prior to the upgrading?

[Cruise]

I remember seeing this intersection being built as a wee lad when my knowledge of road construction was very limited (ok, maybe non existant) i think it was no more than a right hand turn lane. I could be wrong.

Damn, i should know this.....

[drsmith]

Apologies for digging up and old post - but this interesting

What was the layout of the A1/B85 intersection prior to the upgrading?

It was a simple merging of A1 from Port Augusta into B85 (Kadina) road. If memory serves me correct there were no merging or turning lanes at the intersection however turning lanes were provided north of the intersection to cater for traffic movements from A1 north of the intersection to/from B85.

On the current intersection the area covered by white markings on the bitchumen to the right of the northbound exit lane to Kadina was the original southbound lane of B85.

Prior to the intersection upgrade southbound traffic on B85 had right of way over both northbound and southbound traffic on A1.