The first of two 3000 tonne bridges has been installed as part of the Darlington Upgrade Project in Adelaide, marking an Australian first for civil construction projects of this scale.
The 180m long bridge was constructed on land between the Southern Expressway and Main South Road, near Marion Road.
The bridge was transported and manoeuvred into place using ‘self-propelled modular transporters’, similar to remote controlled trailers.
Project consortium, Gateway South, adopted the innovative construction method to substantially reduce traffic impacts for the project.
If the bridge was constructed in its final position, at least seven closures of the Southern Expressway and Main South Road would have been required.
The bridge is one of two being built using this construction method, each longer than the Adelaide Oval.
When complete the installation of the bridge will deliver northbound Main South Road traffic over the Southern Expressway and onto local surface roads.
A second bridge is being built using the same method and will be installed in 2018.
It will deliver northbound Main South Road traffic over the Southern Expressway to the 3.3kms non-stop lowered motorway.
South Australian Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Stephen Mullighan, said almost 100,000 vehicles travel through the Main South Road and Sturt Road intersection on average every day, including 73,000 which use this part of Main South Road.
“Some of the busiest intersections in Adelaide are located on this part of the North-South Corridor so these bridges will improve traffic flow and cut travel times for vehicles travelling in all directions,” Mr Mullighan said.
