U/C: Dukes Highway Duplication

[Will409]

Rail need a LOT more. Electrification is needed - this is the third time such an idea has surfaced (last time in 1973).

I have had a look on Railsa which has details about the funding allocation. Basically, none of it is for the suburban network. It is all going to the interstate network which is owned by the ARTC. ARTC by the way just happens to be Government owned. In a nutshell, the money will be used for:

- A study to divert the Adelaide - Murray Bridge line out of the hills on a new route from Murray Bridge to Mallala (Hills NIMBYs have raised this issue).
- More passing loops on mainlines.
- Grade seperated crossings on the northern mainline.
- Grade seperation at Goodwood.

The last one is worth pointing out in greater detail. The ARTC Adelaide-Melbourne line crosses over the double track Noarlunga line with diamond crossings. It is not unusual for a freight that has just come down the hill to wait at Goodwood Junction to wait for a TransAdelaide train to cross over before the freight moves on after clearance is given by the signal. While a grade seperated mainline isn't that hard to do (and one was opened in January at Hexham in the Hunter Valley), Goodwood is an interesting case. In the space of no more then 350m, you have a creek and then the Glenelg line overpass. There is simply not enough space to have a traditional overpass. The only way that it could be done is to have the mainline go under ground and reasonably deep to clear the bottom of the creek and to not interfere with the tram overpass. There is another issue also. As you may be aware, the Belair line is set for resleepering with gauge convertable concrete sleepers. If it is decided to reconvert the Belair line to double track rather then the present single track arrangement, then you would have an interesting time with TransAdelaide services on the new UP line.

For more info on the rail budget, have a look here:
http://www.railsa.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1816

[Norman]

This promise is making me rethink my vote for Labor...

[Howie]

Interesting. Gepps Cross.....

Been on the cards for a while now... Al had a render of that one.

[Xaragmata]

- A study to divert the Adelaide - Murray Bridge line out of the hills on a new route from Murray Bridge to Mallala

Another study? AN's 1994 proposal wasn't viable; likewise ARTC's 2001 proposal. DOTARS / SA DoT were due to complete another study last year; the ink would barely be dry on this, and we have ... another study!

(RTSA Newsletter April 2006 http://www.rtsa.com.au/chapters/sa/news ... l-2006.pdf )
ADELAIDE HILLS RAILWAY PUBLIC MEETING REPORT

[Bulldozer]

Some of the road standards in our South Australian state cannot even be considered as 'Freeway', at certain stretches it is not even worth the 'Highway' title.

There's only one freeway in SA, and it's from Glen Osmond to Murray Bridge.

Adding an overtaking lanes every 5-10kms or so does not really help much. When you see a screaming road train driving towards you, you better hold on the steering tight and be prepared to maneuver your car if it gets blown away. During my return driving trip to Melbourne, I have come across or at least seen cars in front of me nearly lose control because of these trucks.

An inch more and they could have kissed side by side and throwing the whole car rolling towards the side dirt. Simple as that. Trucks are build to carry humongous loads not to travel at highspeed with them, I'd even came across trucks that were screaming so hard as the driver tried to overtake me at the speed of 110kmph, the speed limit, can you believe that?

Unless things have changed in the last few years you have to head up north if you want to see a road train. (Three or more trailers.)

There's nothing wrong with driving and being passed by a semi on a sealed road. Most drivers never do any country driving so I suppose they don't know what to expect or how to handle it. In a car built within the last ten years or so you barely even feel the wake thanks to improved aerodynamics. Overtaking lanes are good, but people need to learn to be patient and hang back a minute or two until the next one pops up. The skill level of the average driver in Australia is really poor. How many know how to handle a blowout, aquaplaning, drifting off the verge, etc?

I found in my trip to the Flinders earlier this year that the biggest threat on the road are the "grey nomads". We almost had four head-on crashes because these idiots came speeding around blind corners while taking the line. Two locked their brakes up, with one of those towing a trailer that started to jacknife. Idiots. What's their damn hurry anyway?

[Norman]

Interesting. Gepps Cross.....

Been on the cards for a while now... Al had a render of that one.

Do you still have it? Can it be published?

[Bulldozer]

$120million for the Port Wakefield by-pass? Isn't the road reserve already there? When you consider what the Northern Expressway is going to cost, starting from scratch and having to buy land, the the Port Wakefield by-pass sounds very expensive indeed.

Hopefully that includes an overpass at the junction north of Port Wakefield so that traffic from Yorke Peninsula doesn't have to stop. That's a dangerous intersection there.

- A study to divert the Adelaide - Murray Bridge line out of the hills on a new route from Murray Bridge to Mallala (Hills NIMBYs have raised this issue).

As Xaragmata said, I believe this was actually proposed by the freight industry as it would make a significant cut in transit times by not having to descend the hills and go through Adelaide.

The last one is worth pointing out in greater detail. The ARTC Adelaide-Melbourne line crosses over the double track Noarlunga line with diamond crossings. It is not unusual for a freight that has just come down the hill to wait at Goodwood Junction to wait for a TransAdelaide train to cross over before the freight moves on after clearance is given by the signal. While a grade seperated mainline isn't that hard to do (and one was opened in January at Hexham in the Hunter Valley), Goodwood is an interesting case. In the space of no more then 350m, you have a creek and then the Glenelg line overpass. There is simply not enough space to have a traditional overpass. The only way that it could be done is to have the mainline go under ground and reasonably deep to clear the bottom of the creek and to not interfere with the tram overpass.

Indeed it is a tricky spot. For two years I wondered about it everytime the TransAdelaide train waited for the freight train to pass. (Never saw a freight train waiting for us to pass though.) It should be possible though to have the Noarlunga line flyover the Belair & freight lines because going below ground level doesn't seem feasible and thanks to the proximity of the tram bridge and such I don't think there's the length to have a flyover for the freight line with acceptable gradients - I could be wrong on that though as I'm just going from memory of the distances involved. What's the steepest acceptable gradient? I presume a suburban line can handle a steeper one than a freight train.

What would happen if the Cross Road level crossing was grade separated though? Would the trains go over, under or stay level and how could that affect the decision of what to do at the junction? It's all uphill from the Goodwood junction isn't it?

[crawf]

Copied from report:

Key components include :
• $1 billion for South Road by 2020 with $250 million delivered by 2014;
• $100 million for the Southern Expressway as an Non-Network project, with South Australia to pay the remaining costs;
• $279 million to complete the $424 million Northern Expressway project;
• $65 million for New Port Wakefield Road construction;
• $120 million Port Wakefield Bypass;
• $40 million for safety upgrades between Port Wakefield and Adelaide;
• $32.5 million to upgrade Gepps Cross intersection;
• $80 million for the Dukes Highway;
• $40 million for the Eyre Highway;
• $70 million for the Sturt Highway;
• $56 million for the Stuart Highway;
• $64 million to upgrade between Port Wakefield and Port Augusta; and
• $165 million to upgrade South Australia’s Rail connections;
South Australia will also receive an increase in maintenance funds of one third to $196 million over five years.

Interesting. Gepps Cross.....

This is a pretty impressive list of projects, curious about the Gepps Cross Intersection are they going to build a underpass/overpass there? also whats this about the New Port Wakefield Road construction - is that apart of the future Northern Expressway?

This latest promise by the libs, has again made me undecided. But its about time a decent amount of money was spent on SA roads, hopefully Labor will match it or promise something even bigger for South Australia.

As Xaragmata said, I believe this was actually proposed by the freight industry as it would make a significant cut in transit times by not having to descend the hills and go through Adelaide.

Actually Mitcham Council is pushing for this, it was in the local paper.

[Cruise]

• $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?

[Howie]

Do you still have it? Can it be published?

I can ask him...

Basically it'll be an underpass, Grand Junction road will go under Main North and Port Wakefield Rd. This is a concept they came up with in 2005. It looks very good, they should just get on with it.

[Ash-SV6]

Indeed it is a tricky spot. For two years I wondered about it everytime the TransAdelaide train waited for the freight train to pass. (Never saw a freight train waiting for us to pass though.) It should be possible though to have the Noarlunga line flyover the Belair & freight lines because going below ground level doesn't seem feasible and thanks to the proximity of the tram bridge and such I don't think there's the length to have a flyover for the freight line with acceptable gradients - I could be wrong on that though as I'm just going from memory of the distances involved. What's the steepest acceptable gradient? I presume a suburban line can handle a steeper one than a freight train.

What would happen if the Cross Road level crossing was grade separated though? Would the trains go over, under or stay level and how could that affect the decision of what to do at the junction? It's all uphill from the Goodwood junction isn't it?

I think you'll find they will dig out the Noarlunga lines and make them go under the ARTC line. Due to the tram bridge there wont be any flyovers, and the ARTC line can't be dug down because of the Goodwood Rd underpass and the grades it will create for trains heading out of Adelaide. So this raises an interesting question - what will happen to Goodwood station? Will it be relocated to alongside the showgrounds, or will we see our first subway style station?

[crawf]

Do you still have it? Can it be published?

I can ask him...

Basically it'll be an underpass, Grand Junction road will go under Main North and Port Wakefield Rd. This is a concept they came up with in 2005. It looks very good, they should just get on with it.

Awesome , new nick for Adelaide - City of Underpasses

[Cruise]

• $1 billion for South Road by 2020 with $250 million delivered by 2014;

why only 250 million by 2014? and the rest by 2020? thats a bit lop sided.

when the state government matches it, 500 million isnt going to go to far over 6 years. and then 1.5 billion is going to be spent over the 6 years after that?
my head hurts

[Howie]

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


Before


After

[Norman]

While they look good, wouldn't it be better to underpass Nain North Road or Port Wakefield Road instead, given that the Northern Expressway and Port River Expressway will take away a lot of the freight off Grand Junction Road?

And where has the southern-bound lane of Port Wakefield Road gone once it gets towards the interchange?