The southbound on and off-ramps at the new Aldinga Interchange are now open to traffic, as stage two of the Main South Road duplication from Aldinga to Sellicks Beach, south of Adelaide, moves closer to completion.
The Aldinga Interchange realigns the junctions of Aldinga Beach Road and Aldinga Road to create a safer and more efficient connection to and from Main South Road for locals and visitors, as well as smoother connections to the Fleurieu region.
Main South Road carries around 19,000 vehicles a day and that is expected to increase, with traffic volumes projected to grow to 26,000 vehicles a day by 2036.
The now-open southbound ramps at the Aldinga interchange form part of the future permanent layout where Main South Road traffic will flow freely under the Aldinga bridge.
These ramps will provide dedicated access to and from Aldinga, improving traffic efficiency and connectivity across the southern section of the project.
In the coming weeks, traffic will also temporarily shift back on to the newly constructed southbound carriageway on Main South Road between Aldinga Road and Perth Street. This will enable finishing works on the northbound carriageway to be carried out.
The Aldinga Bridge, a key feature of the Aldinga Interchange, opened to traffic in March this year.
With sustainability being an important focus of the project, the equivalent of more than 31 million recycled glass bottles, or almost 7000 tonnes of glass, is being repurposed in the construction of the new roadway from Aldinga to Sellicks Beach.
The recycled glass replaces a portion of natural sand in the asphalt.
The landscaping program for the stage two duplication of Main South Road will feature 100,000 trees, shrubs, understory and aquatic plants along the road corridor – from 50 specially selected native species.
Stage two of the Main South Road duplication between Aldinga Beach Road and Sellicks Beach is jointly funded by the Australian and South Australian governments as part of the $810.4 million Fleurieu Connections project.
The Australian Government is committing $221.6 million, with the South Australian Government providing $588.8 million.
Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said, “The Australian Government is pleased to be partnering with the South Australian Government to deliver stage two of the Main South Road duplication from Aldinga to Sellicks Beach.
“Opening the southbound on and off ramps at the new Aldinga Interchange will have significant benefits for the many thousands of people who pass through the area each day, reducing travel times and providing safer and more reliable journeys.”
SA Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Emily Bourke added, “The opening of the south-bound on and off-ramps at the new Aldinga interchange is a major milestone in an important project that will create better connections for motorists.
“Over the coming months, you’ll start to see some major changes taking shape across the project, including new road connections, traffic switches and the finishing touches, with crews working hard to keep things moving as we progress towards completion.”
Full completion of the project is expected in 2026.