Engineering consulting firms land road contract in Adelaide
The government of South Australia has selected a consortium of Arup, Mott MacDonald and McConnell Dowell Constructors as engineering consultancies for a 1.8km road stretch in Adelaide.
According to Alan Tudge, the government’s Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population, the project represents the final missing link of the North-South Corridor between Gawler and the River Torrens. The project links Regency Road to Pym Street, and includes an upgrade to the intersections at both joints and an expansion of road lanes over the full roadway.
The project also includes a number of other improvements, including improved cycling and pedestrian facilities, a separated pedestrian and cycle overpass over South Road in the vicinity of Pym Street, and landscaping and noise barriers to cater the needs of the surrounding community and local businesses. “When complete, the road will deliver efficient and reliable travel for up to 53,000 vehicles per day on this section of South Road, by removing the need to travel through two signalised intersections,” Tudge said.
Construction is due to begin in late 2019, with completion planned for 2022. The design and build contract with the external consultancies – Arup and Mott MacDonald are both UK-headquartered firms while McConnell Dowell Constructors is a local player – is worth $247 million.
The improvement is funded by The Australian and South Australian Governments, and is part of Australia’s wider objective of improving transport infrastructure across South Australia. “The Marshall and Morrison Governments are committed to keep building South Australia. We are building congestion busting infrastructure that will cut travel times, make our roads safer and also secure construction jobs into the future,” said Stephan Knoll, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government.
The Marshall Government’s 2019-20 State Budget has a total infrastructure pipeline of around $8.4 billion.
Arup has a track record of over two decades in Australia supporting transport infrastructure projects. The engineering consulting firm for instance contributed to the Northern Connector roadway – a key road in Adelaide which connects the North-South Motorway (National Highway M2) at Wingfield to the Northern Expressway (M2).
Mott MacDonald has been active in Australia for over 40 years. In South Australia, the consultancy is helping the broadening of the North South corridor known as the Torrens to Torrens project. The firm also recently secured a role on the Oaklands Public Transport Projects Alliance program in Adelaide.
McConnell Dowell was founded in New Zealand in 1961 and today has around 6,000 professionals across offices in New Zealand, Australia, Asia and the Middle East.
