Public Works Committee: North-South Corridor Northern Connector Project

Ms DIGANCE (Elder) (11:18): I move:

That the 536^th report of the committee, entitled North-South Corridor Northern Connector Project, be noted.

The Northern Connector is part of the 78-kilometre north-south corridor project that will see the upgrade of the major roads linking Gawler with Old Noarlunga over a 10-year period. Specifically, the Northern Connector will link the Northern Expressway to the South Road Superway and Port River Expressway. It is a 15.5-kilometre six-lane motorway located to the west of Port Wakefield Road with the purpose of removing much of the heavy freight vehicles off Port Wakefield Road and providing a 43-kilometre nonstop connection from Gawler to Regency Park.

This is particularly important given that the key interstate freight from Perth to Darwin and Sydney all enter Adelaide from the north—currently, Port Wakefield Road. This new connector will improve road safety along Port Wakefield Road as well as providing efficiencies to freight and longer distance commutes.

There will be four interchanges along the length of the northern connector to link to Port Wakefield Road and the local area. There will be an interchange at each end of the connector as well as at Bolívar and Waterloo Corner. Plans for a fifth interchange have been prepared for Globe Derby Park, should this area be developed in the future.

In addition, a separate 16-kilometre long three-metre wide path for cyclists and pedestrians is included as part of the project. It will connect the existing 23-kilometre cycle and pedestrian path along the Northern Expressway. Also planned, but not part of the scope of this project, is the future freight rail corridor, predominantly to the west of the proposed road, which links the existing rail line at Virginia to Dry Creek and Port Adelaide. The rail embankment and partial seawall through Dry Creek is to be constructed as it provides protection to the northern connector road and any developments to the east of the road from future sea-level rise.

The cost of this project is $985 million, exclusive of GST, which will be funded by the federal and state governments in an 80:20 share arrangement. The project will provide an estimated 480 jobs annually over the life of the project, both on-site and for industries supporting the construction. Construction is due to commence in mid-2016 with some smaller earlier works projects to start in January 2016. The project is due to be completed by the end of 2019. Given this, and pursuant to section 12C of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991, the Public Works Committee reports to parliament that it recommends the proposed public works.

Debate adjourned on motion of Mr Speirs.