The effort to build a rail underpass and enable grade separation at the Oaklands rail crossing on Adelaide’s Seaford Line is now well underway, with the beginning of major excavation works in the area.
Located at the intersection of Morphett and Diagonal roads, the Oaklands crossing boom gates reportedly restrict road traffic movements across the rail line for approximately 25% of the peak traffic periods. Moreover, due to pedestrian and cyclist movements across the rail corridor at Diagonal Road and adjacent the rail station platform, trains approaching Oaklands Station are forced to travel are reduced speeds.
The $174.3 million project to separate the roads and the rail line at this location is begin jointly funded by the Turnbull government ($95 million), the South Australian government ($74.3 million) and the City of Marion ($5 million).
“Building a rail underpass at Morphett Road will significantly reduce delays for the 42,000 vehicles which travel through this level crossing each weekday,” federal urban infrastructure and cities minister Fletcher said.
“The Turnbull Government is working with the Marshall Government to deliver these key infrastructure projects to ensure smoother and safer journeys for South Australians and this is possible because of a stronger economy.”
Piling works – involving a 32-metre-high piling rig drilling to install 141 piles along the length of the site – have already been completed. Excavation works will involve digging the path for the placement of the lowered rail line. Following this, a new pedestrian bridge providing direct access to the eastern end of the new station platforms will be constructed over the rail line.
The works are being carried out by the Public Transport Projects Alliance (PTP Alliance), an alliance between McConnell Dowell, Mott MacDonald, ARUP and South Australia’s Department of Planning Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI).
Federal MP for Boothby Nicolle Flint said that it was about time the forty-year-old Oaklands Crossing bottleneck was finally done away with to allow local residents to get to work or get their children to school with greater speed and safety.
“I fought hard to secure $95 million in federal funding for Oaklands Crossing so it is finally fixed for my community after 40 long years,” Flint said.
“I am delighted that major works are under way and I thank the community for their patience while the grade separation occurs.”
The project is expected to be completed during the latter half of 2019.