After funding was suspended in 2011, Adelaide’s O-Bahn interchange upgrades are back on track
February 20, 2013
The much needed and long overdue upgrade of Adelaide’s famed O-Bahn interchanges has started with doubling the Klemzig car park and increasing bicycle storage.
The upgrades focus on improving the guided busway’s three major suburban bus stations.
The ‘work in progress’ signs in Adelaide’s north signals a recommencement of upgrades to O-Bahn infrastructure, suspended in 2011 after funding was placed on hold to meet the repair bill from a series of natural disasters on Australia’s eastern seaboard.
South Australia’s new transport and infrastructure minister Tom Koutsantonis says the car park construction coincides with the calling of tenders for upgraded amenities at Paradise and Tea Tee Plaza interchanges, and also for further work at Klemzig.
Hindmarsh Construction is undertaking the work on the Klemzig car park project, while tenders are being called for the remaining funded interchange upgrades.
Koutsantonis says $17.1 million has been allocated to fund interchange refurbishment.
Park-and-ride capacity adjacent to the Klemzig interchange on the north-west side of O G Road will be increased with an additional 234 spaces, including five accessible parks and bike storage doubled to cater for a total of 60 bicycles.
“Vital infrastructure works, such as this, must be undertaken to cater for the increasing demand for a safe, efficient and convenient service as part of an integrated network,” Koutsantonis says.
He says the new tender focuses on the amenities refurbishment aspect of the funding and will greatly improve the look and safety of the three O-Bahn interchanges.
“The expected works include accessible unisex toilets, the installation of real time passenger information equipment to assist commuters and upgrading lighting and CCTV.
“We are also expecting to install bike cages at some interchanges as well as improving the appearance through painting, cleaning and the provision of new furniture.
“These refurbishments will make these key O-Bahn interchanges far more appealing but also, and most importantly, safer for all passengers.”
The tender closes at 2pm, February 26.