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More than 400 South Australian businesses have now secured more than $2 billion worth of contracts on Adelaide’s huge River Torrens to Darlington project, as work on the non-stop South Road continues to ramp up.
The latest figures released by the State Government show local companies are picking up work across a broad range of packages, from concrete and construction supplies to some of the enormous lifting operations now taking place across the project.
Among them is Wingfield-based Fleurieu Cranes, which currently has up to 80 employees directly and indirectly supporting the T2D build. During peak periods, the South Australian company has deployed as many as 15 cranes across the project at once.
One of its biggest jobs yet has involved a 700-tonne mobile crane helping build a new road bridge at West Thebarton. The bridge will connect Ashwin Parade with West Thebarton Road, providing an east-west connection over the new motorway and allowing drivers to safely turn right onto South Road.
In recent weeks, 70 concrete planks have been lowered into place between the two roads, with each spanning around 15 metres and weighing approximately 18 tonnes. The major lifting operation requires a team of riggers and a crane operator working between the northbound and southbound lanes of South Road.
The concrete planks were also manufactured locally by Bianco, while South Australian company Hallett Group has supplied concrete for the bridge’s supporting structures. Once complete, the planks will form the base of the new roadway over the T2D motorway where it transitions from the Northern Tunnels to the existing North-South Corridor near the River Torrens.
The work comes as construction moves ahead both above and below ground on the $15.4 billion project.
All three of the project’s huge tunnel boring machines — Mary, Catherine and Elizabeth — are now operating, marking the first time three large-scale TBMs have tunnelled simultaneously on an Australian underground road project.
The T2D project will complete the final 10.5 kilometres of Adelaide’s North-South Corridor, including twin 4.5-kilometre Southern Tunnels, twin 2.2-kilometre Northern Tunnels and sections of open motorway connecting the underground sections with the existing road network.
As well as the hundreds of local businesses already securing contracts, the project is expected to support around 5,500 jobs each year during main construction, with a commitment for South Australians to undertake 90 per cent of labour hours.
Work packages have been broken into different sizes, including contracts worth up to $1 million, between $1 million and $5 million, and those valued above $5 million, opening the project to businesses of varying sizes.
The Australian and South Australian governments are each contributing $7.7 billion to the project, which is currently expected to be completed in 2031.
Once the T2D section is finished, it will complete a 78-kilometre non-stop motorway between Gawler and Old Noarlunga. Drivers travelling through the River Torrens to Darlington section are expected to be able to bypass 21 sets of traffic lights, with travel-time savings of up to 40 minutes during peak periods.
