A Friday Note - 12 October 2018

Dear all,

Important changes to Adelaide Metro bus services will take place on Sunday, providing better travel options for our customers.

Benefits will include direct services from Elizabeth to the Airport and from Rostrevor and Athelstone to the City via the Adelaide O-Bahn, major frequency upgrades along Sir Donald Bradman Drive and Magill Road throughout the day and additional capacity along Prospect Road in the morning peak.

Importantly, services to the Royal Adelaide Hospital will be increased and there will be better access to the Lyell McEwin Hospital.

The changes will also see a reduction of more than 1000 bus movements each weekday along Currie and Grenfell Streets due to re-linked services.

Well done to all who have worked hard behind the scenes to help make this happen.

World champion

Congratulation to Unit Manager Planning, Gemma Kernich, who is now a world champion, after winning the F35-44 5km Scratch Race at the 2018 UCI Masters Track World Championships in Los Angeles this week.

Gemma took the lead early in the final and managed to stay in front for rest of the race.

The photo below shows her crossing the finish line well ahead of her nearest competitor.

Tram line works

Thank you to all involved in the maintenance and upgrade works along the tram line last weekend.

A lot was achieved during the closure, including replacement of the turnout at the depot, installation and realignment of overhead structures, the resurfacing of road approaches at the Morphett Road level crossing, construction of a retaining wall at Sturt Creek, spot tamping in a number of areas, pruning of trees, weed slashing and spraying, work on the customer station lift at South Road, washing of stations and removal of litter and graffiti.

This was a massive undertaking, which was efficiently conducted between Friday evening and early Sunday morning.  Again, thank you and well done.

Planning reform roadshow

Our planning team has started a regional roadshow to talk to communities about the wide-reaching reforms currently happening in the planning space.

They were at the Berri Barmera Council Chambers during the week, and have more sessions planned at Clare, Mount Gambier, Whyalla and Port Lincoln in the coming weeks.

Community engagement is a vital part of the new planning system, which will shape South Australia’s planning future with new policies and regulations around housing, transport, land use, industry, heritage and the environment.

Oaklands milestone

The Oaklands Crossing Grade Separation project reached another milestone last Sunday, when road users were re-directed onto the newly constructed road on the western side of the Morphett Road bridge.

The switch will allow works to occur on the eastern side.

The project now has approval for the final design for elements including the new Oaklands Station canopy, public amenities, bicycle storage, bridge and station structures, landscaping, pathways and retaining walls.

Flashback Friday

Today’s Flashback Friday is a stark reminder of how far bridge construction has come over the years. Here we see a railway cutting near Hallett Cove around 1915, with a small bridge for road traffic.

SLSA PRG 280/1/13/16

Wayne Buckerfield
Acting Chief Executive