One of the largest pieces of the puzzle for the Aldinga Interchange is beginning to take shape, with 12 super-T beams lifted into place to support the new bridge at Aldinga, south of Adelaide.
The Aldinga Interchange is a key feature of the Main South Road stage 2 duplication project between Aldinga Beach Road and Sellicks Beach, which is being delivered as part of the $810.4 million Fleurieu Connections project, funded by the South Australian and Australian governments.
One of the largest cranes in South Australia was used to lift the bridge’s super-Ts beams earlier this week, with each one weighing 40 tonnes.
The 700-tonne crane used for the job is approximately 45 metres tall, and this is the first time it has been used on a South Australian Government project.
South Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Tom Koutsantonis said, “With the super-T beams now being installed, the bridge is really taking shape – with the next step the concrete pour of the bridge deck itself. Traffic has also now begun travelling on the new northbound on/off ramps on Main South Road at Aldinga Beach.
“Around 18,800 vehicles use this road every day, and the Aldinga Interchange will improve traffic flow and safety for residents and visitors traveling along this important road corridor.”
The deck of the new bridge at Aldinga will measure 26 metres long and 27 metres wide and will be supported by 53 concrete piles.
The deck will be complemented by 62 architectural panels and 86 metres of anti-throw screens to enhance both safety and the visual appeal of the bridge.
The bridge underpass will be made up of 39,200 tonnes of asphalt to create 86,000 square metres of road pavement, with more than 15.5 linear kilometres of soil nails supporting the underpass walls.
Work on the bridge and interchange started in June this year.
The Aldinga Interchange realigns the junctions of Aldinga Beach Road and Aldinga Road.
As well as the Aldinga Interchange, the stage 2 Main South Road duplication includes intersection upgrades at Hart and Colville roads, Norman and Rogers roads, Hahn and Cox roads and Sellicks Beach Road, plus installation of wide centre medians and wire rope barriers to improve safety by separating northbound and southbound traffic.
It also includes three U-turns to facilitate local access and a shared use path for pedestrians and cyclists along the western side of Main South Road, from Aldinga to Sellicks Beach.
Senator for South Australia Penny Wong added that Stage 2 of the South Road duplication will improve safety for all road users, reduce travel times and bolster freight efficiency.
“It is great to see works progressing at the Aldinga Interchange, bringing this important project a step closer, along with the benefits it will unlock for South Australians,” she said.
The new bridge at Aldinga is expected to open to traffic in 2025, while the project is expected to be fully completed in 2026.