The final stage of the North South Corridor in South Australia has reached a major milestone, with the preferred alliance partner now selected to deliver the State’s largest ever infrastructure project.
The preferred consortium comprises of John Holland, Bouygues Construction, Arcadis Australia, Jacobs and Ventia.
The North South Corridor will be the major route for north and south bound traffic, including freight vehicles, running between Gawler and Old Noarlunga, a distance of 78 kilometres.
The project is made up of a number of different works packages, such as the River Torrens to Darlington Project, which is the final 10.5-kilometre section of the North South Corridor.
The River Torrens to Darlington Project (T2D project) will allow motorists to avoid 21 existing sets of traffic lights between the River Torrens and Darlington and will complete the non-stop 78-kilometre North-South Corridor between Gawler and Old Noarlunga.
The consortium’s tender detailed a plan to procure three Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs), instead of the two previously anticipated – which will mean both north and south tunnels can be constructed concurrently.
The three TBMs that will be used to excavate the T2D tunnels will be purpose-built for the local conditions they will encounter on the project.
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The successful consortium’s design delivers the key features of the December 2022 Reference Design release, while providing further traffic and community benefits.
Some of these proposals from the successful consortium include improved tunnel design and shorter cut and cover tunnel sections, a connection free from traffic lights between the motorway and James Congdon Drive, and Innovative tunnel portal arrangements that enable improved and lowered motorway sections with faster construction times and reduced costs.
Main construction works are proposed to start next year, with tunnel boring machine works for the southern tunnels planned to begin in the second half of 2026.
Premier of South Australia, Peter Malinauskas said the project will see provide employment to thousands of South Australians.
“We’ll have three Tunnel Boring Machines operating instead of two – guaranteeing this project will be delivered on time,” he said.
“Once complete, this project will see traffic move between West Hindmarsh and Darlington in just nine minutes, saving 30 to 40 minutes of travel time during peak hour.”