The southbound on and off-ramps at the new Aldinga Interchange are now open to traffic, as stage two of the Main South Road duplication from Aldinga to Sellicks Beach, south of Adelaide, moves closer to completion.
The Aldinga Interchange realigns the junctions of Aldinga Beach Road and Aldinga Road to create a safer and more efficient connection to and from Main South Road for locals and visitors, as well as smoother connections to the Fleurieu region.
Main South Road carries around 19,000 vehicles a day and that is only set to increase, with traffic volumes expected to grow to 26,000 vehicles a day by 2036.
Ensuring that people can get to and from this beautiful part of South Australia safely and stress-free is vital for people who live, visit or do business there.
An exciting milestone for the project, the now-open southbound ramps at the Aldinga interchange form part of the future permanent layout where Main South Road traffic will flow freely under the Aldinga bridge.
These ramps will provide dedicated access to and from Aldinga, improving traffic efficiency and connectivity across the southern section of the project.
In the coming weeks, traffic will also temporarily shift back on to the newly constructed southbound carriageway on Main South Road between Aldinga Road and Perth Street. This will enable finishing works on the northbound carriageway to be carried out.
The Aldinga Bridge, a key feature of the Aldinga Interchange, opened to traffic in March this year.
Sustainability is an important focus of the project with the equivalent of more than 31 million recycled glass bottles, or almost 7,000 tonnes of glass, to be repurposed in the construction of the new roadway from Aldinga to Sellicks Beach.
The recycled glass replaces a portion of natural sand in the asphalt.
This glass is diverted from the local waste stream creating a circular economy and a big win for sustainability.
The landscaping program for the stage two duplication of Main South Road will have environmental and social benefits for generations to come.
More than 100,000 trees, shrubs, understory and aquatic plants will be added along the road corridor.
These plantings, from 50 specially selected native species, will enhance the region's stunning vistas and provide new community amenity as well as new habitat for local fauna.
Stage two of the Main South Road duplication between Aldinga Beach Road and Sellicks Beach is jointly funded by the Australian and South Australian governments as part of the $810.4 million Fleurieu Connections project.
The Australian Government is committing $221.6 million, with the South Australian Government providing $588.8 million.
The project is supporting 405 full-time-equivalent jobs during construction, with full completion expected in 2026.
As put by Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:
"The Australian Government is pleased to be partnering with the South Australian Government to deliver stage two of the Main South Road duplication from Aldinga to Sellicks Beach.
"Opening the southbound on and off ramps at the new Aldinga Interchange will have significant benefits for the many thousands of people who pass through the area each day, reducing travel times and providing safer and more reliable journeys."
As put by SA Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Emily Bourke:
"The opening of the south-bound on and off-ramps at the new Aldinga interchange is a major milestone in an important project that will create better connections for motorists.
"Over the coming months, you'll start to see some major changes taking shape across the project, including new road connections, traffic switches and the finishing touches, with crews working hard to keep things moving as we progress towards completion.
"SA is building and we are supporting growing communities with the infrastructure they need, while driving innovation and sustainability in road construction."
As put by Federal Member for Kingston Amanda Rishworth:
"With construction due to be completed in 2026, it's great to already see the benefits of the Main South Road duplication from Aldinga to Sellicks Beach starting to be realised for motorists in southern Adelaide.
"Good infrastructure investment creates jobs, builds opportunity and unlocks economic growth and productivity, which I'm pleased to see is happening at the new Aldinga Interchange – with more to come as stage two is completed."
As put by State Member for Mawson Leon Bignell:
"The opening of these ramps represents a huge milestone for our area which started a campaign for a duplicated Main South Road almost a decade ago.
"Labor listened to the community and funded the project back in 2017, but then the Liberals formed government in 2018 and put the project in the slow lane, they tried to steal a lane and add a roundabout plus at least two sets of traffic lights. It would have been a disaster.
"We went to the 2022 election with the promise that we'd align Aldinga Rd and Aldinga Beach Rd to improve safety and access for locals while creating a four lane, non-stop journey for cars, buses and trucks heading to and from the southern Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island.
"This a classic case of building infrastructure that will last decades and I want to thank Labor ministers who have backed this in over the years and show my appreciation for locals, led by the Main South Rd Action Group, who fought so hard for the project."
