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South Road

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South Road

Main South Road

South Australia
South Road is located in South Australia
North end
North end
South end
South end
Coordinates
General information
TypeRoad
Length117 km (73 mi)[1]
Route number(s)
  • A2 (2017–present)
    (Wingfield–Darlington)
  • A13 (1998–present)
    (Darlington–Old Noarlunga)
  • B23 (1998–present)
    (Old Noarlunga–Cape Jervis)
  • Concurrencies:
  • R1 (2017–present)
    (through Mile End South)
Former
route number
  • National Highway A13 (1998–2017)
    (through Wingfield)
  • A13 (1998–2017)
    (Wingfield–Darlington)
Major junctions
North end Salisbury Highway
Port River Expressway
Wingfield, Adelaide
 
South end Flinders Drive
Cape Jervis, South Australia
Location(s)
RegionWestern Adelaide, Southern Adelaide, Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island[2]
Major suburbsCroydon, Mile End, Reynella, Morphett Vale, Old Noarlunga, Aldinga, Sellicks Hill, Yankalilla

South Road and its southern section as Main South Road outside of Adelaide is a major north–south conduit connecting Adelaide and the Fleurieu Peninsula, in South Australia. It is one of Adelaide's most important arterial and bypass roads. As South Road, it is designated part of route A2 within suburban Adelaide. As Main South Road, it is designated part of routes A13 and B23.

The northern part of South Road contributes the central component of the North–South Corridor, a series of road projects under construction or planning that will eventually provide a continuous expressway between Old Noarlunga and Gawler.

Route

South Road starts at the intersection of the Port River Expressway and the Salisbury Highway in Wingfield. It runs directly south, through much of Adelaide's inner western suburbs, close to the Adelaide city centre. It is complimented by, and in some instances, subsumed into the North-South Motorway. It either runs directly underneath it at ground level with the motorway above it on elevated carriageways, or straddles it on each side with the motorway lowered into a trench.

The motorway currently ends in Hindmarsh just south of the intersections with Port Road and Grange Road. South Road then becomes the main traffic route southwards.

South Road continues south through Mile End and Edwardstown until St Marys, where the Southern Expressway starts in a lowered trench. South Road straddles it on each side, until it reaches the intersection of Ayliffes and Shepherds Hill Roads at Tonsley, South Australia, where it changes name to Main South Road. It continues through Old Noarlunga (where Victor Harbor Road branches off) and runs parallel to the coastline of Gulf St Vincent. At Normanville, it is known as Willis Drive for 2 km, then continues to Cape Jervis at its southern tip.

The Southern Expressway runs roughly parallel to Main South Road for 18 km between Darlington and Noarlunga and serves to reduce traffic congestion. Main South Road and the Southern Expressway have 3 different intersections along the length of the roads.

History

The first reference to South Road was made in 1842.[3] The South Australian Gazette referred to sheep stations near the corner of South Road and Sturt Road, in what is now Bedford Park.[3]

South Road of today was until the 1970s known by a string of names: Shillabeer Avenue (from what was then its northern terminus at Regency Road to Torrens Road); Government Road (between Torrens and Port Roads); John Street (Port to Grange Roads); Taylors Road (between Grange and Henley Beach Roads); Fisher Terrace (Henley Beach Road to Anzac Highway), and South Road from Anzac Highway southwards.[4]

The town of Old Reynella was bypassed in 1964.[5] Old Noarlunga was bypassed in 1972.[6]

The South Road Extension was built at Dry Creek in the early 1990s, connecting South Road and the Salisbury Highway, between Grand Junction Road and Port Wakefield Road. This was superseded by the Port River Expressway, which opened in 2005.

Congestion and upgrades

Main South Road approaching a junction with the Southern Expressway in 2005, with previous reversible carriageway signage before reconstruction in 2014

South Road suffers from traffic congestion due to its importance as one of Adelaide's main arterial roads and bypasses. Traffic has also increased in line with the growth and development of Adelaide's southern suburbs.[citation needed]

Between 1982 and 1984, an overpass was built at Emerson Crossing, taking South Road over Cross Road and the Seaford railway line. For a long time, this was the only grade separation on South Road, and one of very few in South Australia, removing congestion with Cross Road traffic and the railway line. However, increasing frequency of commuter trains results in vehicle bottlenecks that are anticipated to worsen. Queues on the exit ramps to Cross Road can extend into the through lanes on South Road. The rail crossing can be closed for up to 20 minutes in the peak hour.[7]: 54 

In November 2005, the Royal Automobile Association (RAA) released its recommendations to the South Australian government in regards to the road network. South Road was found to be the poorest road in the state, registering a 2/10 on the RAA's scale. The recommendations given included $6 billion of funds to upgrade the roads of South Australia – with $1.5–2 billion to be spent on South Road alone. The RAA's plan for the road included a 6 km tunnel from Port Road all the way to the Anzac Highway underpass. The plan called for over/underpasses at six other major intersections and two rail crossings.[8]

Going under the Anzac Highway Gallipoli Underpass, heading south, April 2012

In 2005, along with the decision to make a free flowing South Road, a decision was made to build an underpass for South Road to go under Anzac Highway. Named the Gallipoli Underpass in line with the ANZAC theme, construction started in 2007. The underpass opened in March 2009. To cut down on delays due to construction, an overpass was built at the same time for the Glenelg tram line just half a kilometre to the south, which opened in 2009, significantly removing delays from the area.[9]

In August 2007, Prime Minister John Howard announced that South Road was to be included in the AusLink National Road Network, and pledged $1 billion in funding for the project between 2007 and 2020.[10]

North–South Motorway

Main article: North–South Motorway

The North–South Motorway is an incomplete motorway intended to replace South Road as Adelaide's primary north–south roadway. Running along the same road corridor as South Road and extending further north, the motorway has been progressively constructed in stages. As of November 2020, approximately 22 km of the total 35 km length has been completed.

The first section of the motorway, known as the South Road Superway, was announced in October 2009. It is 3–4 km of elevated motorway running from the Port River Expressway to the intersection with Regency Road. The project started in 2010 and was completed in early 2014.

Following the 2013 Australian federal election, the section of South Road between Torrens Road and the River Torrens was identified and funded for an upgrade. 4 km of lowered motorway was built between the northbound and southbound lanes of South Road.[11] The Torrens to Torrens lowered motorway started construction in 2015[12] and opened to traffic in 2018.[13] The project included replacing a level crossing of the Outer Harbor railway line, with a new bridge in 2017.[14]

The Darlington Upgrade, an extension of the Southern Expressway through Bedford Park by use of a similar lowered motorway concept, was also identified at this time. Both of these upgrades involved land acquisition to widen the road corridor, surface grade local carriage ways on the edges, and a lowered central roadway carrying the free-flow traffic below the crossing routes. The Darlington Upgrade began construction in 2016 and was opened in 2020.[11]

An upgrade of Regency Road to Pym Street, the gap between the elevated South Road Superway and the (then) almost-completed Torrens to Torrens lowered motorway, was announced in May 2018, to be jointly funded by the state and federal governments.[15] Main construction began in late 2019.[16] The overpass opened at reduced speeds in March 2021.[17][18]

Preliminary plans for the final section stretching from the River Torrens to Darlington, which would use a combination of deep-bored tunnels, lowered motorway and surface-level motorway, were announced in late 2020 and are still under investigation.[19]

Major intersections

LGA[20]Location[1][21]km[1]miDestinationsNotes
Port Adelaide EnfieldWingfield0.00.0 Port River Expressway (A9 west) – Port Adelaide
Salisbury Highway (A9 east) – Salisbury		Northern terminus of South Road
0.70.43Dry Creek-Port Adelaide railway line
0.80.50Cormack Road – Wingfield, Dry Creek
Wingfield–Angle Park–Regency Park tripoint1.91.2 Grand Junction Road (A16) – Port Adelaide, Gepps Cross, Northfield, Hope Valley
Regency Park2.81.7Days Road – Ferryden Park
Regency Park–Croydon Park boundary4.83.0Regency Road – Kilkenny, Sefton Park
Charles SturtRenown Park–Croydon–Ridleyton tripoint6.33.9Torrens Road – Rosewater, Ovingham
Croydon–Ridleyton–Hindmarsh tripoint7.64.7Outer Harbor railway line
Croydon–Hindmarsh–West Hindmarsh tripoint7.84.8 Port Road (A7) – Port Adelaide, Woodville, Hindmarsh
Hindmarsh–West Hindmarsh boundary8.15.0Grange Road (west) – Allenby Gardens, Grange
Manton Street (east) – Hindmarsh
8.35.2 North–South Motorway (M2) – Wingfield, Waterloo CornerNorthbound entry and southbound exit only
Northern terminus of route A2, route M2 continues north along North-South Motorway
River Torrens9.15.7Bridge over the river (historically "Taylor's bridge"[22])
West TorrensMile End–Torrensville boundary10.46.5Henley Beach Road – Fulham, Mile End
Mile End–Mile End South–Hilton tripoint11.37.0 Sir Donald Bradman Drive (A6) – Mile End South, Adelaide Airport
Richmond–Mile End South boundary11.97.4 James Congdon Drive (R1 northeast) – Thebarton
Deacon Avenue (southwest) – Richmond Oval		Concurrency with route R1
Mile End South–Keswick–Richmond–Marleston quadripoint12.47.7 Richmond Road (R1) – West Richmond, Keswick
West Torrens–Unley boundaryAshford–Kurralta Park–Everard Park–Glandore quadripoint13.78.5 Anzac Highway (A5) – Keswick, Plympton, GlenelgDiamond interchange under intersection
West Torrens–Marion–Unley tripointEverard Park–Black Forest–Kurralta Park–Glandore quadripoint14.38.9Glenelg tram line
Mitcham–Marion–Unley tripointBlack Forest–Clarence Park–Clarence Gardens–Edwardstown–Glandore meeting point15.39.5 Cross Road (A3) – South Plympton, Glen OsmondDiamond interchange over intersection with railway line
Seaford railway line (Emerson Crossing)
Mitcham–Marion boundaryMelrose Park–St Marys–Edwardstown–Clovelly Park quadripoint18.711.6Daws Road – Park Holme, Clapham
Tonsley–St Marys boundary20.212.6 Southern Expressway (M2 south) – Reynella, Old NoarlungaSouthbound entry and northbound exit only
Southern terminus of route A2, route M2 continues south along Southern Expressway
St Marys–Bedford Park–Clovelly Park tripoint20.712.9Ayliffes Road (east) – Pasadena, Goodwood
Shepherds Hill Road (south) – Blackwood		No right turn northbound from Ayliffes Road westbound
Northbound entry to and southbound exit from Shepherds Hill Road only
Name change: South Road (north), Main South Road (southwest)
Bedford Park–Clovelly Park boundary21.013.0Sturt Road – Brighton, Flinders University
Bedford Park21.413.3 Flinders Drive – Bedford Park, Flinders Medical Centre
21.813.5 Southern Expressway (M2 north) – St MarysNorthbound entry and southbound exit only
Northern terminus of route A13
Sturt River22.013.7Bridge over the river (bridge name unknown)
Marion–Onkaparinga boundaryDarlington–Bedford Park–Sturt tripoint22.413.9 Marion Road (A14 north) – Brooklyn Park, Plympton, Park Holme
Flagstaff Road (south) – Flagstaff Hill
O'Halloran Hill25.816.0Majors Road – Seaview Downs
O'Halloran Hill–Happy Valley boundary26.116.2Black Road – Flagstaff Hill
Happy Valley–O'Halloran Hill boundary26.516.5Chandlers Hill Road – Chandlers Hill
Happy Valley–O'Halloran Hill–Trott Park tripoint29.218.1 Southern Expressway (M2 north) – Darlington, St MarysNorthbound entrance and southbound exit only
Panalatinga Road (south) – Onkaparinga Hills
OnkaparingaOld Reynella–Morphett Vale–Reynella tripoint32.520.2Sherriffs Road (west) – Lonsdale
Pimpala Road (east) – Woodcroft
Morphett Vale33.921.1O'Sullivan Beach Road (west) – Lonsdale
Bains Road (east) – Morphett Vale
35.021.7Flaxmill Road (west) – Christie Downs
Wheatsheaf Road (east) – Morphett Vale
Morphett Vale–Hackham–Hackham West tripoint36.222.5Beach Road (west) – Noarlunga Centre
Doctors Road (east) – Onkaparinga Hills
Hackham–Hackham West–Huntfield Heights tripoint37.223.1Honeypot Road – Noarlunga Downs
Hackham–Huntfield Heights boundary37.423.2Pennys Hill Road – Hackham
Hackham–Huntfield Heights–Noarlunga Downs tripoint40.024.9 Southern Expressway (M2 north) – Reynella, St MarysNorthbound entrance and southbound exit only
Onkaparinga River41.425.7D.V. Fleming Bridge
OnkaparingaOld Noarlunga42.326.3 Victor Harbor Road (A13) – McLaren Vale, Mount Compass, Victor HarborNo right turn northbound into Victor Harbor Road southbound
Northern terminus of route B23, route A13 continues south along Victor Harbor Road
Maslin Beach46.829.1 Maslin Beach Road (A15 west) – Maslin Beach
Tatachilla Road (east) – McLaren Vale
Aldinga52.432.6Old Coach Road – Aldinga, Maslin Beach
YankalillaMyponga6842 Pages Flat Road (B34) – Mount Compass
Yankalilla8251Inman Valley Road – Inman Valley, Victor Harbor
Delamere10565 Range Road (B37) – Parawa, Victor Harbor
Cape Jervis11773Flinders Drive – Cape JervisRoute B23 continues west over Backstairs Passage to Hog Bay Road on Kangaroo Island

Tram stop

South Road is also the location of a stop on the Glenelg tram line.[23]

Preceding station Adelaide Metro Following station
Black Forest
towards Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide Entertainment Centre or Festival Plaza
 Glenelg tram line Glandore
towards Moseley Square


  • Looking south from the Cross Road Overpass, Edwardstown.
    Looking south from the Cross Road Overpass, Edwardstown.
  • The South Road overpass at Cross Road / Emerson Station.
    The South Road overpass at Cross Road / Emerson Station.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "South Road" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Location SA Map viewer with regional layers". Government of South Australia. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  3. ^ a b Rochow, Jeremy. "South Road: Past, present and future". samotor.raa.com.au. Royal Automobile Association of South Australia Inc (RAA). Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  4. ^ Sands and McDougall's Directory, 1962.
  5. ^ "Local Studies. Former Cricketers". 24 January 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2018.
  6. ^ "Old Noarlunga". City of Onkaparinga. 24 July 2007. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016.
  7. ^ "North–South Corridor The 10 year Strategy" (PDF). Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. May 2015. K-Net #9526649, V1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 March 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  8. ^ PDF Archived 15 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "Glenelg Tram Overpass". South Australian Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure. 19 June 2008. Retrieved 28 March 2009.
  10. ^ Media Releases Archived 29 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ a b "Darlington Upgrade Project". Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, Government of South Australia. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  12. ^ "North-South Corridor: Torrens Road to River Torrens". Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, Government of South Australia. 5 August 2015. 145594. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  13. ^ "T2T". T2T Alliance. 31 July 2015. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  14. ^ Outer Harbor Rail Overpass & Temporary South Road Closure T2T Alliance
  15. ^ "Regency Road to Pym Street". Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, Government of South Australia. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  16. ^ Tudge, Alan (5 July 2019). "Building Regency to Pym to begin this year" (PDF). Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population (Press release). Government of South Australia. Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  17. ^ "Regency Road overpass open to traffic". R2P Alliance. 30 March 2021. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021.
  18. ^ Wingard, Corey (19 February 2021). "Regency to Pym project on the home stretch – finishing early and under budget" (Press release). Adelaide: Government of South Australia. Premier of South Australia. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  19. ^ "Budget 2020: The key measures". InDaily. 10 November 2020. Archived from the original on 10 November 2020.
  20. ^ "Location SA Map viewer with LGA layers". Government of South Australia. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  21. ^ "Location SA Map viewer with suburb layers". Government of South Australia. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  22. ^ "Locking of Torrens". The Advertiser (Adelaide). Vol. LXXXVII, no. 26972. South Australia. 15 March 1945. p. 5. Retrieved 26 August 2022 – via National Library of Australia. or "Taylor's road bridge"; that section of South being named "Taylor's road".
  23. ^ Glenelg Tram Timetable (2018) Archived 2 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine, Adelaide Metro


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