Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Wayne Swan today welcomed the Commonwealth’s $646 million investment in the expansion and modernisation of three of Adelaide’s major public transport corridors.

According to the South Australian Government, these projects will create up to 870 jobs, which will boost economic activity in South Australia during the global recession.

$291 million towards the Noarlunga to Seaford Rail Extension:

• The project will involve construction of two new stations along the 5.5 kilometre rail line, at Seaford Meadows and the Seaford rail terminus.


• The new rail extension is expected to reduce public transport travel times by up to 10 minutes on a trip to Adelaide.


• The new rail extension is forecast to attract approximately 6000 public transport trips per weekday, around 1.7 million trips per annum.

$294 million towards the Gawler Rail Line Modernisation:

• The project will see the 24-station rail line undergo re-sleepering and electrification works which will make services cleaner, faster and more reliable.


• The Federal Government funding will enable the project to be delivered two years earlier than initially planned.


• Patronage on the line has been growing with 11.6 per cent over the last year, with the Line carrying 34 per cent of the total Adelaide metropolitan rail patronage

$61 million for the O-Bahn Extension:

• The extension will provide dedicated on-road bus corridor and associated improvements to the final 4.5 kilometres of the O Bahn in Adelaide's central business district.


• The O-Bahn is the most highly patronised public transport corridor in Metropolitan Adelaide, with it carrying 27,000 passengers per day.


• Reduce travel time by up to 10 minutes between Tea Tree Gully and the CBD.

The Australian and South Australian Governments are working to get these projects underway as quickly as possible.

On the Noarlunga to Seaford Rail Extension:

• Detailed preconstruction works, including geotechnical works and bridge design will commence in June 2009.


• On site preparation works will commence early 2010.


• Main construction activity starts mid 2010.


• Project is scheduled for completion in 2013.

On the Gawler Rail Line Modernisation:

• A contract for the supply of 110,000 concrete sleepers for the Gawler line will be awarded in the coming weeks.


• Re-sleepering will commence in early 2010.


• Electrification works will start in 2011.


• Project has a scheduled completion date of 2013.

On the O-Bahn Extension

• The analysis of options and preliminary designs are expected by late 2009.


• Construction will commence later this year


• Project has a scheduled completion date of 2011.

These projects will help reduce the cost of urban congestion, which is projected to grow from $731 million in 2009 to $1.1 billion by 2020 in Adelaide if no action is taken, according to the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics.

These infrastructure improvements are also critical to servicing South Australia’s growing population, which is expected to reach 2 million by 2027.

The projects will particularly benefit the growing populations of northern and southern Adelaide region, which are forecast to grow by around 140,000 and 82,000 respectively over the next three decades.

These investments are part of the Federal Government’s $22 billion infrastructure investment in the 2009-10 Budget, which includes rail, roads, ports, energy, broadband, and health and education infrastructure.

The Australian Government’s nation-building initiatives include $2.5 billion in road and rail infrastructure in South Australia.