The next 157 jobs associated with the biggest infrastructure project in South Australia's history will start to roll out in the next few months as $85 million worth of early enabling works get underway.
As part of the North-South Corridor upgrade, enabling works on the Torrens to Darlington (T2D) project include relocations for water, electricity, gas and telecommunications services for the southern section of the project and are a required precursor to construction of the Hybrid+ design.
Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said getting on with these early works now will ensure the project stays on track for main construction of the southern tunnel to start in 2023.
"We know these utility services need to be relocated to make way for the tunnel, so we are getting that done while we continue finalising the reference design," Minister Fletcher said.
"These early enabling works are estimated to be worth around $85.6 million, supporting employment for more South Australians during the very early phases of this important project."
South Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the Hon Corey Wingard MP, said the works getting underway this year are the first package of the overall enabling works for this project, which are estimated in excess of $350 million.
"By doing these early works now, we're making sure the project progresses as smoothly as possible in the future," Minister Wingard said.
"These 157 jobs are on top of the more than 200 that have been supported by the design, planning and ground investigations phase of the project.
"This is the biggest infrastructure project in the state's history and we are proud to be getting on with delivering it for the people of South Australia.
"Not only will it get people from A-to-B faster, this project will also create up to 4,000 jobs in the process and underpin the construction industry in South Australia for the next decade – starting this year."
The Hybrid+ option has been selected as the preferred option for delivering the T2D project, comprising a combination of tunnels, lowered and ground level motorways as well as overpasses and underpasses at key intersections – completing the final approximate 10.5 kilometre of the North-South Corridor between the River Torrens and Darlington.
To enable the planned start of construction in 2023 and ensure delivery risks are managed, it is essential that these early enabling works start this year.
The T2D project will complete the approximate 78-kilometre, non-stop motorway between Gawler and Old Noarlunga, allowing road users to bypass 21 sets of traffic lights between the River Torrens and Darlington.
The project is jointly funded by the Australian and South Australian governments, with $5.4 billion budgeted for the section between Darlington and Anzac Highway, which will be delivered first.
