O-Bahn City Access project opened on time and on budget

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The $160 million O-Bahn City Access project has been officially opened at a community day marking the completion of the major construction project in Adelaide.

Construction on the project commenced in March 2016, which delivered a 670-metre tunnel to link priority bus lanes on Hackney Road and Grenfell Street.

Buses will begin using the tunnel this week, which aims to improve travel for all vehicles in Adelaide’s East End.

According to a statement from the South Australian Government, more than 1,000 buses will use the tunnel each weekday on average, which it anticipates will improve travel times for other road users by freeing up space on the city’s Inner Ring Route.

“The O-Bahn tunnel is about easing the commute for more than 30,000 people who use the service every day. It’s not just bus passengers who’ll benefit – creating an extra lane for buses along Hackney Road and detouring them into the tunnel means more road space for other vehicles,” South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill said in the statement.

“We’re already investigating how we can extend this critical public transport network further to Golden Grove to give even more residents in the north eastern suburbs the opportunity to get on-board.”

South Australian Transport and Infrastructure Minister Stephen Mullighan praised the businesses that helped deliver the project.

“It’s a huge credit to all involved in this complex infrastructure project, particularly the major contractor McConnell Dowell, that the tunnel has not only been completed on time but also on budget,” he said in the statement.

“Today is a great opportunity to thank the hundreds of workers who built this project, as well as the bus passengers, traders, residents and motorists for their patience during construction.”