Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the T2D Project over the last few years. We have continued to work to identify outcomes that deliver on the project’s objectives, whilst balancing the needs of various stakeholders as much as practically possible.

Community feedback has led to key changes to the project design, as at December 2022. However, in some instances, design elements have been retained after further assessment against land, technical and financial requirements.

Minimising visual impacts, particularly related to the elevated structures

Northern Tunnels, northern portal (near Brickworks Marketplace)

The motorway has been moved to the east so the elevated structure next to Brickworks Marketplace can be removed and South Road northbound can now be at the surface. To achieve this, the southbound section of South Road will pass over the corner of Hindmarsh Cemetery. This lower structure will not impact plots within Hindmarsh Cemetery.

Anzac Highway Connection

We've added an off-ramp from the motorway north of Anzac Highway which will connect with South Road, Richmond Road and James Congdon Drive. This off-ramp will improve motorway connectivity and reduce through traffic at the South Road and Anzac Highway intersection. Right turns from Anzac Highway onto South Road have been reinstated.

This enables the removal of the elevated structure that would have taken vehicles travelling from the south onto Anzac Highway towards the CBD. These vehicles will now turn right at the surface onto Anzac Highway. Traffic travelling north of Anzac Highway will no longer need to travel through the South Road and Anzac Highway intersection.

The new off-ramp north of Anzac Highway will improve access from the motorway to Adelaide Airport and provide an alternative option to access the CBD via James Congdon Drive.

In addition, a new southbound on-ramp from James Congdon Drive will provide an alternative for motorists to access the motorway.

Southern Tunnels, southern portal (near Clovelly Park and St Marys)

A technical review found that the tunnel portal needs to move approximately 300 metres to the north to improve traffic performance and safety. This design change will give motorists more distance and time to change lanes between Tonsley and the tunnel portal, provide better east-west connection via a shared-use bridge over the motorway, and reduce long-term closures of the Darlington motorway during construction.

Maintaining local access and connectivity

We understand it is very important to maintain local access as much as possible during construction, as well as after the T2D motorway is complete.

Using tunnels for more than half of the corridor allows many existing connections along the length of South Road, between the River Torrens and Darlington, to be maintained or enhanced.

Community feedback played a key role in updating the new connection at Anzac Highway to restore right turns onto South Road.

We will also work with neighbouring councils to develop Local Area Traffic Management Plans. These plans will address traffic access requirements through the local street network, access to bus stops, and connections for cyclists and walkers across, and along, the corridor. This work will form a key input as the design is further developed. We will seek feedback from the community on access and connectivity as this work progresses.

The T2D Project will also explore opportunities to increase connectivity across the corridor for all users—motorists, pedestrians and cyclists alike.

Protecting the environment, including greening the area

The T2D Project is being constructed within a highly developed urban area. While past activities have cleared much of the native vegetation, we understand the trees and vegetation in the area are valued by the community.

The use of tunnels will reduce the impacts on existing trees and vegetation. We are also committed to increasing the overall tree canopy by 20 per cent as well as the green space along the T2D corridor.

Protecting heritage and community facilities

The suburbs around South Road and the broader project area have a rich and important social and cultural history.

The project design has avoided impacts to significant heritage sites, such as the Thebarton Theatre and former Hoffman Kiln at Brickworks Marketplace, considering their importance to local communities and the State. We are also looking at opportunities to enhance and celebrate the area’s history and culture through urban design.

The changes to the design also mean the project will no longer require as much of Kings Reserve temporarily during construction.

Noting that impacts to community facilities such as the Torrensville Bowling Club and Thebarton Community Centre are unavoidable, we are working hard with stakeholders to provide suitable alternative sites.

The T2D Project also aims—with input from local stakeholders—to enhance community facilities along the T2D corridor.

Minimising construction impacts

We are aware that the community may experience some impacts during construction, including noise, dust and general disruption. We take this seriously and will be seeking to mitigate impacts wherever possible.

Minimising the impact to properties and being empathetic to people whose properties are being acquired

Building a non-stop motorway requires more land than currently exists along the South Road corridor. In such a built-up urban area, this means impacts to people’s properties are unavoidable.

Minimising property acquisition has been a key consideration in the design, such as including 6km of tunnels rather than a surface-level motorway for the entire 10.5km, and has significantly reduced the number of property acquisitions required.

While the revised design does require more properties than the original design, the review identified that these properties will be required to safely and efficiently construct the motorway and incorporate changes to the design that facilitate better connections and reduce visual impact.

We understand the acquisition process can be difficult for those impacted, and we are committed to working with owners and tenants sensitively and privately.

We are also committed to taking a flexible approach to acquisition where possible to give people more choice in how they manage this process. Impacted landowners will be allocated a Case Manager from the start who will work with them through the entire process.

Engaging meaningfully to ensure local insights are well understood

We have seen that South Australians are keen to learn more about the project and get involved. The community close to the corridor and a number of other key stakeholders have told us that they are keen to work with us to get this project right for all South Australians.

As part of the review, we have made key changes to elements of the project design in response to community feedback. We are also undertaking an extensive engagement program to further learn important insights to help inform the detailed design.

We will also renew the Community Reference Group to ensure the community’s voice is heard throughout the next important phase of the project’s development.

Finally, we understand the importance of being available locally to meet with the community. With this in mind, we have opened a Community Information Centre at Clovelly Park. You can arrange a time to meet with the project team to learn more about the T2D Project.

During this next stage of consultation, between December 2022 and February 2023, we also have a pop-up Community Information Centre at Brickworks Marketplace while we identify a more permanent hub in the northern section of the project corridor.