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Port Wakefield Overpass Bridge Beams Installed
Upgrades to the Port Wakefield Overpass will see a safer, faster and smoother journey through one of SA’s busiest and most dangerous regional intersections.
The Port Wakefield Overpass and Highway Duplication project has reached the 60 per cent complete mark, with the overpass structure now in place. Eight concrete bridge beams have now been installed, which form the overpass bridge.
The project is another example of the Government’s record $110 billion infrastructure investment plan in action.
Investments like this help to connect communities and improve safety while creating jobs and supporting our economic recovery.
The Port Wakefield Overpass project was one of the largest ever undertaken in regional South Australia, supporting an average of 95 full-time equivalent jobs per year during construction.
This notorious intersection is one of South Australia’s busiest regional road intersections. It is commonly known as ‘Crash Corner’ due to the dangerous turn movements and frustrating long queues, especially during peak holidays when traffic along the Port Wakefield Highway surges.
The eight precast bridge beams were lifted into place by a 400-tonne crane to form the northern and southern spans of the overpass. Each bridge beam weighs 60 tonnes and measures 29.5 metres long, 2.5 metres wide and 1.5 metres high.
Works to date on the overpass also include completing the bridge deck for the northern half of the overpass, which involved 88 cubic metres of concrete being pumped into the formwork over four of the bridge beams to form the span.
The second deck pour of the southern overpass span is scheduled to occur at the end of August 2021.
The duplication of the Port Wakefield Highway, south of the township, and the Wakefield River Bridge are more than halfway complete and expected to be finished in the first half of 2022.
“Works on the new permanent junction of Balaklava Road and Port Wakefield Highway are also continuing,” Mr Ramsey said.
“Once complete, the overpass will provide one lane in each direction and will improve road safety and bust congestion at the existing intersection of Port Wakefield, Augusta and Copper Coast highways, north of Port Wakefield.
“This route forms a key link between Adelaide, Port Augusta and the Yorke Peninsula along the National Land Transport Network, so by building this overpass we are also improving freight productivity and supporting continued growth for regional South Australia.”
Grey Rowan Ramsey
The Port Wakefield Overpass and Highway Duplication project is being delivered by the Port Wakefield to Port Augusta Alliance (PW2PA) – a consortium of CPB Contractors, Aurecon and GHD, in alliance with the South Australian Department for Infrastructure and Transport.
The new overpass is expected to be open to traffic by Easter 2022, with the project expected to be complete by the end of 2022.
ENDS
Friday 20 August 2021 – Media Release
The Government of South Australia, Port Wakefield overpass takes shape with installation of bridge beams, sourced on 20 August 2021, read the original media release here.
Please read our other blogs following the Cross River Rail project.
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