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DPTI Matters - 25 January 2019

Logo for Connect, the department's newsletter


A word from the Chief Executive

If you have any comments, suggestions, questions or concerns, please email them to telltony@sa.gov.au.

Infrastructure tour

DPTI recently welcomed Infrastructure South Australia Chair Tony Shepherd for a tour along parts of the North South Corridor which will deliver a 78km motorway between Gawler and Old Noarlunga when all projects are completed.

The feedback was extremely positive, with the guests driven through the full length of the Northern Connector before continuing along the corridor to the T2T and Darlington project sites, as well as visiting the Oaklands Crossing Grade Separation Project.

All of those involved in these projects should take pride in helping to deliver infrastructure which will provide safer and more efficient infrastructure for South Australians.

Eight men wearing hi-vis vests, white lemets, goggles and gloves stand in a group. Other people in hi-vis clothing are working behind them. The group is standing on concrete on what appears to be a roadway which continues behind them but this is still at the steel reinforcing rod stage before the concrete pour.
Infrastructure South Australia Chair Tony Shepherd and interim Chief Executive Jeremy Conway with key staff from DPTI and Lendlease, at the Northern Connector Project.

Lifejacket swap

DPTI Marine Safety Officers are in for a busy time over summer, with the highly successful OLD4NEW lifejacket program returning.

The lifejacket upgrade voucher exchange program helps boaters to get into new, safer lifejackets which are comfortable and functional.

Last year 4000 old, damaged, unsuitable or non-compliant lifejackets were swapped for $20 vouchers to help purchase new ones which meet the Australian Standard AS 4758.

This is an important initiative which will help save lives. More information on the program and current laws is available here.

A marine safety officer stands in front of a high, covered trailer with a large door on the side which is opened upwards. The door is positioned at least 45cm above the man's head. The trailer has been decked out with a television screen, various posters and brochures. There are lifejackets hanging from the roof and the safety officer, dressed in a navy blue uniform is holding one. There is a pile of old lifejackets on the ground to the right of the photo.
Steve Kusznir at the mobile OLD4NEW stand in Mount Gambier.

100 Day Challenge

Three DPTI staff recently took part in the 100 Day Challenge, an initiative between DPTI and Aurecon that sees a group of young professionals work together collaboratively on a community issue and develop a feasible solution over a 100-day period.

In addition to their own work, the team developed a proposal for a government-run digital tool to help everyday people reduce their electricity bills by monitoring their usage, comparing energy company pricing, encouraging competition between energy users and suppliers, encouraging competition between households and providing useful tools to assess investments in household power-saving assets such as solar and battery storage.

The group recently presented its proposal to members of the DPTI and Aurecon executive. This is a great demonstration of collaboration to work towards solutions that could make a practical difference to the lives of South Australians.

A group of people , standing in two lines. They are well dressed and are smiling.Front, L-R: Daniel Callary (DPTI), Jake Elphick (Aurecon), Anna Bartel (DPTI), Adam Luciano (Aurecon), Lauren Robinson (Aurecon), Anne Alford (DPTI - Program Sponsor), Jessica MacDonald (Client Director Aurecon). Back, L-R: James Galpin (Aurecon), Rob Kane (DPTI).

Rail care

Well done to workers from contractor Coleman Rail for the care and compassion they showed to a heat-affected koala while undertaking repairs at Pinera on the Belair rail line.

They took time out to rescue the young animal and give it water.

Workers in hi-vis vests and white helmets surround another worker who is holding a small koala in a towel and giving it water from a plastic bottle. Train tracks and gum trees can be seen in the background.
The young koala receives a drink from workers.

Oaklands canopy

The Oaklands Crossing Grade Separation project has taken another big step forward, with the station canopy for the new lowered Oaklands Railway Station being installed.

The canopy was constructed off-site by SA family business Bowhill Engineering, which also constructed the newly installed shared pedestrian and cyclist bridge.

The 200-tonne canopy has been designed with openings to allow natural light to enter the station, and provide visibility for security.

More information on the project is available here.

The image shows what will eventually become a train line, with passenger platforms to the left and right. A large roof structure comes up from the platforms and over the rail line area. The roof is constructed of heavy steel girders and lighter beams and is raised in the section over the tracks. There is no covering on the roof yet.

Service updates

Changes to some bus timetables and the Grange train timetable will come into effect on Sunday.

There has been a mountain of work across many different areas of the department to prepare for these changes. Thank you to all staff involved for their diligence and consideration in this work.

More information is available here.

Planning consultation

DPTI has released the draft Development Assessment Regulations and Practice Directions for public consultation ahead of the launch of a new planning system from mid-2019.

The draft Regulations set out how the new development assessment framework will operate in the new planning system.

Minister for Planning, Transport and Infrastructure the Hon Stephan Knoll released a video this week outlining the changes, which you can view below.

The draft document will be available for consultation until Friday 1 March.

Northern Connector

Congratulations to the Northern Connector Project team, which successfully navigated two weekend closures of the Port River Expressway to undertake work on the bridge that will connect the South Road Superway and the Northern Connector.

The team worked continuous weekend shifts to install the remaining bridge beams and pour the concrete deck for the new bridge.

The bridge will have a staged opening to traffic in the coming months, as traffic is switched off the existing bridge over the Port River Expressway onto the new bridge.

Well done to those who worked tirelessly to complete the works safely and successfully.

A large, unfinished bridge is in the foreground, with the image from enelevated view looking down at what will be the road. There are metal reinforcing rods across its width and along the length. There are about 30 workers in hi-vis clothing visible, although they look quite small because of the elevated camera position. Two large bridge roadways are to the left and the right, with traffic moving along them.

Friday Flashback

Today’s Flashback Friday shows a float entered in the Australia Day parade at Henley Beach in 1936.

The image is black and white and shows a float being pulled by s tractor, both of which are completely covered in decorations. The float is in the shape of the Taj Mahal. A number of people are on the side of the road, watching the float pass. The people are all men and boys and they are well dressed, the men in suits and hats and the boys in shorts, coats and shoes.
SLSA B 69376