Photo credit: Bike SA
Cyclists, runners and walkers can now travel above four of Adelaide’s busiest roads, with the final elevated sections of the upgraded Mike Turtur Bikeway officially opening to the public.
The new shared-use paths follow the tram corridor between the city and Glenelg, allowing users to bypass South, Marion, Cross and Morphett Roads without having to navigate the busy intersections below.
Almost 1.4 kilometres of elevated pathway has been delivered as part of the wider $870 million Tram Grade Separation Projects, creating a more seamless route for the more than 1,000 people who use the bikeway.
The new sections have been constructed using 80 prefabricated deck panels, with lighting, handrails, bridge barriers and anti-throw screens installed along the route.
The Marion Road, Cross Road and Morphett Road connections are the final sections to open, following the earlier completion of the South Road section.
“We are excited to welcome the community back to the new and improved Mike Turtur Bikeway and see wheels spinning across all three elevated paths for the first time,” SA Infrastructure and Transport Minister Joe Szakacs said.
“Reconnecting this vital active transport corridor over the new tram overpasses means safer, more reliable journeys for cyclists and pedestrians and improved road safety for everyone.”
The work forms part of the broader Tram Grade Separation Projects, jointly funded by the Australian and South Australian governments with $435 million each.
The project has removed level crossings and delivered new tram overpasses at Plympton and Morphettville, while the South Road tram overpass at Glandore has also been rebuilt to accommodate the $15.4 billion River Torrens to Darlington motorway project.
Before the crossings were removed, boom gates could be down for up to 20 minutes in every peak-hour period, impacting around 50,000 vehicles each day at Marion and Cross Roads and another 25,600 vehicles at Morphett Road.
Further pedestrian improvements are also on the way, with a new push-button crossing being installed on Morphett Road between the new overpass and Maxwell Terrace.
The crossing is designed to improve access to nearby businesses and new community spaces while coordinating with the Morphett Road and Anzac Highway traffic signals to help maintain traffic flow.
Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Catherine King said the elevated paths would make the popular route easier and safer to use.
“By providing an alternative for cyclists and pedestrians away from these busy road intersections, we are giving active transport commuters in Adelaide’s southwest suburbs a high-quality and safe connection they can rely on every day.”
The completed elevated paths are now open to cyclists and pedestrians.
