The process of community engagement has been integral to the development of the Northern Expressway Project. Government and stakeholder reference groups were established during the route selection process to capture local information and identify opportunities and constraints. Following the announcement of the project on 14 November 2006, an extensive community engagement process has involved more than 6000 people.

This process captured feedback via public displays and open days staffed by members of the project team at six different locations across the northern Adelaide region. Feedback was also received via neighbourhood and stakeholder meetings, emails, phone calls to the project information line, SMS, letters and response forms.

The following initiatives were also undertaken to inform the community:

• Direct mail outs (including letters to affected property owners and project postcard)
• Brochures, fact sheets and posters
• Broadsheet distributed to 130,000 households
• Advertisements and editorials
• Website (including an interactive map)
• Drive through animation/visualisation

A member of the Northern Expressway project team talks to community members

The key issues of concern that arose during community engagement included noise, access, visual amenity, route selection, community severance, property acquisition, adequacy of compensation, relocation and dislocation, property values, and quality of life.

Community engagement outcomes demonstrating opposition or support for the project differed depending on the residential location of the respondent. However the majority of feedback received supported the need for the expressway and was positive about the project.

The Northern Expressway Environmental Report was released on 15 March 2007 detailing the project and evaluating the projects potential environmental, social and economic effects. Copies of this report were made available for viewing and at the public displays in addition to several libraries and Service SA centres throughout the region. Copies of the Executive Summary and CD Rom were distributed upon request and the Environmental Report was made available online via the project website.

The Supplement to the Environmental Report which was released in June 2007 captures formal submissions from a cross section of the community and the responses from DTEI.

Click here for more information about the Environmental Report

More information about the community engagement process is available in the Environmental Report Technical Papers Volume One.

The Northern Expressway Community Room

The Northern Expressway project team has established a community room at the Curtis Road site office. The community room acts as a class room for school groups with displays and activities about the environment, construction, the on site asphalt plant, community engagement, and employment. School groups can listen to presentations from the project team members on these topics, see and touch samples including plants and asphalt, take part in educational activities and learn about career opportunities in the Civil Construction Industry.

The Community room also provides the ideal space for meetings with local council, emergency services and other stakeholders. 

If you would like to know more about the community room please contact the project team on 1300 658 621 or via email at northernexpressway@saugov.sa.gov.au

Project contact

Please visit our Project contact page for details of how to contact us.