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Changes to Taylors Road and Penfield Road will be made to ensure the safety of traffic on the Northern Expressway and the local road network, and to accommodate future works including the Northern Connector.
Taylors Road will be closed to through traffic at the location of the Northern Expressway overpass and this will remove the need for a level crossing. This improves both traffic and rail safety. Motorists looking to travel to Virginia from the southern side of the Expressway will need to travel via Heaslip and Penfield Roads following the Taylors Road closure.
Taylors Road will be realigned in order to provide a full service junction at the intersection with Port Wakefield Road. Traffic will be diverted along Mill Road and then along a new connection road to intersect with Port Wakefield Road, 400 metres south of the current intersection. This diversion will allow full access at the new intersection as traffic from the Northern Expressway would have safely merged with traffic on Port Wakefield Road.
The full extent of these changes to the project are described in the October edition of the Northern Expressway update. If you have any questions regarding these changes you can contact the Northern Expressway Information Line on 1300 658 621.
A high speed free flowing exit from the Northern Expressway to Port Wakefield Road
Traffic signals were originally proposed at this location but the new design will allow traffic on Port Wakefield Road without stopping. The new design reduces the possibility of traffic incidents occurring due to traffic queuing.
Increasing the separation of the North and South Bound Carriageways between the bridge over the railway line and Port Wakefield Road
This increased distance between the two carriageways will accommodate future works in the area including a new railway line when the new Northern Connector is built. The geometry of this change also improves the alignment for traffic turning into the expressway from Port Wakefield Road.
Additional access ramps along the Northern Expressway route will be provided at the time of construction as a result of feedback received from the community. The additional ramps will allow more access to and from the expressway.
Port Wakefield Road Interchange: The new design of the Port Wakefield Road Interchange allows for free flowing high speed entry and exit to and from the expressway. The design also accommodates for the Proposed Northern Connector.
An interchange will be constructed at Penfield Road to allow motorists to cross the expressway, access the expressway to head south and to allow exit from the expressway when heading north.
Heaslip/Womma Road Interchange. This full interchange will have on and off ramps for north and south bound traffic and allow the expressway to pass over Heaslip Road. In addition, the intersection of Womma and Heaslip Roads will be joined by a roundabout to increase safety on what is currently a black spot for crashes.
Curtis Road Interchange. Curtis Road traffic will pass over the expressway via a bridge and the interchange will allow traffic to enter and exit in northern and southern directions.
Angle Vale Road Interchange is another full interchange with north and south entry and exit. Angle Vale Road traffic will continue to flow uninterrupted with a bridge over the expressway.
Two Wells Road Interchange. Due to its proximity to the northern end of the expressway, this is a partial interchange with a southern entry and northern exit. Two Wells Road will pass underneath.
Gawler Bypass Interchange allows traffic to enter and exit the Northern Expressway in a free flowing high speed manner.
The Northern Expressway will be designed for the predicted 100 year Average Recurrence Interval (ARI) design flow (2007 estimate) that includes completion of the flood mitigation works on the North and South Para Rivers. A number of options for the mitigation works are being investigated including bridge works, culverts and levees. The final design of the Gawler River crossing will ensure that during the peak 100 year ARI event, flood levels are not increased upstream (east) of the expressway and that no additional area is inundated when compared to the predicted floodplain without the expressway.
A two-dimensional hydraulic model has been prepared for the portion of the Gawler River floodplain between Higgins Road and Riverbanks Road to establish the extent of the 100 year ARI floodplain, to determine the impacts of the expressway proposal and to assist in the design of the Gawler River crossing.
Work on this modelling is continuing to determine the appropriate solution for all stakeholders. Consultation will be ongoing with councils, other government agencies, Australian Water Environments and the Gawler River Floodplain Management Authority
Surveys and geotechnical testing of soils are being undertaken within the Northern Expressway corridor. This work is an important aspect of the design phase and will enable the progression of the project.
The work will be conducted in accordance with the Commissioner of Highways legal responsibilities under Section 27(f) of the Highways Act, 1926.
Depending on the size and location of the property one or all of the following activities may occur:
- Access by a backhoe to dig a trench (approx 3m long x 1.0m wide x 1.5m deep at 400m intervals along the corridor). The trench will be back filled immediately following the work.
- A 4x4 wheel drive vehicle will undertake push tube investigations i.e. a 70mm diameter tube pushed into the ground to sample soil. Testing will involve driving a steel rod into the ground to 1.5m.
- Geotechnical investigations are also occurring at each of the bridge sites, these will involve either a backhoe or a drilling rig to enable soil samples to a depth of 25m.
- Location of underground services.
- Vegetation survey to identify significant trees, native vegetation, planted vegetation and weeds within the corridor.
- Aboriginal Heritage monitoring of earthworks at archaeologically sensitive locations.
If you need further information please call 1300 658 621
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