Frequently Asked Questions

In collaboration with the City of Salisbury, and City of Tea Tree Gully, the Department for Infrastructure and Transport (the Department) is working to improve access and safety along Wynn Vale Drive, including the upgrade of the junction of Wynn Vale Drive and Bridge Road.

The junction upgrade will include the installation of a new dedicated right turn lane into Melville Road from Bridge Road, installation of traffic signals at the Wynn Vale Drive and Bridge Road junction, with signalised pedestrian crossings, the removal of the right turn function into and out of Christine Avenue from Bridge Road, road widening to accommodate a new dedicated right turn lane into Wynn Vale Drive from Bridge Road, installation of new concrete centre median on Bridge Road and the installation of new and upgraded footpaths and shared use paths.

As part of the State Government’s election commitments, the Department is upgrading or investigating potential upgrades, in the northern suburbs to improve safety, access and traffic flow. These election commitments are across twelve locations and includes the upgrade of the Wynn Vale drive and Bridge Road junction in Gulfview Heights.

A six-week consultation period was held in late 2022, seeking feedback from the community and key stakeholders to assist in building a comprehensive picture of how the Northern Adelaide Road network is operating.

More than 400 pieces of feedback were received and highlighted key areas of community concern. These included congestion, travel time, access and motorist and pedestrian safety.

To achieve these critical upgrades and facilitate the widening of Bridge Road, tree and vegetation impacts will be required. Preliminary investigations have identified that a number of trees within the immediate project area will be affected.

Every effort has been made to minimise impacts to trees and vegetation as much as practically possible. Where impacts cannot be avoided, all care and consideration will be taken in the removal and handling of vegetation. Removal of impacted vegetation will be carefully supervised by an arborist.

The Department is actively investigating ways to offset vegetation impacts, and impacts will be managed and offset in accordance with legislative requirements and the Departments Environment and Heritage Technical Manual.

Public transport connectivity and functionality is a strategic priority for the South Australian Government. The proposed concept design seeks to make improvements to existing bus bays through the installation of new and upgraded share use paths, new line marking and new and upgraded LED lighting.

The concept design includes improvements to increase both pedestrian and cyclists’ safety in the area. Improvements specifically designed to increase pedestrian and cyclist safety are new and upgraded footpaths and shared use paths, as well as signalised crossings as part of the new intersection.

Consideration was given to retaining the right turn movements into and out of Christine Avenue from Bridge Road. The Department conducted a detailed traffic assessment, monitoring traffic volume and motorist behaviour.

Following this assessment, the right turn movements into and out of Christine Avenue from Bridge Road is being removed for a number of key reasons, including:

• An average of 1,600 vehicles turn right from Bridge Road into Wynn Vale Drive each day. To accommodate the number of vehicles turning right during peak periods, the required length of the turning lane from Bridge Road into Wynn Vale Drive is approximately 120 meters. This requires the right turn lane to extend past Christine Avenue.
• A shorter right turn lane from Bridge Road into Wynn Vale Drive would result in queues overflowing into the Bridge Road through lane, resulting in an increased risk of rear end crashes occurring. Additionally, the efficiency and operation of the intersection would be negatively impacted due to vehicles queuing into the adjacent through lane, blocking northbound vehicles on Bridge Road as a result.
• If the ability to turn right into Christine Avenue were to be retained without a dedicated lane, drivers would be required to cross three lanes of traffic and sight lines would be potentially impacted by queued vehicles. This would result in potentially unsafe right turn manoeuvres occurring. There is also an increased risk of rear-end collisions from vehicles accelerating through the intersection following a green signal. As part of the project, access to local streets including Christine Avenue will be made safer, with the installation of a dedicated right turn lane from Bridge Road into Melville Road.
• Currently, the number of vehicles turning right out of Christine Avenue is less than 40 vehicles per day (Traffic Survey from August 2022). If the ability to turn right out of Christine Avenue into Bridge Road was retained, vehicles would be required to cross three lanes of traffic (two through lanes and a turning lane), reducing sight distance and increasing the risk of a crash occurring with traffic travelling south on Bridge Road. Crashes of this nature often result in severe consequences.
• Approximately 26,000 vehicles travel on Bridge Road near Christine Avenue each day. Of these, approximately 200 vehicles utilise the right turn function into Christine Avenue from Bridge Road daily. Further to this, less than 40 vehicles each day turn right out of Christine Avenue onto Bridge Road.

People currently turning right from Bridge Road have alternative routes that they may choose to use. The alternative route that people choose will depend on the origin and destination of their overall trip on the network. As part of the project, access to local streets including Christine Avenue will be made safer, with the installation of a dedicated right turn lane from Bridge Road into Melville Road. Currently, Melville Road (between Bridge Road and Ronald Drive) carries approximately 850 vehicles each day. Following the upgrade, it is expected this will increase slightly to in the order of 1000 vehicles per day, remaining within acceptable limits for a local street.

The Department’s Road Traffic Noise Guidelines provides guidance to departmental staff and consultants in addressing road traffic noise as a key part of infrastructure project development. The Guidelines set out the process to be followed and criteria to be applied when assessing the road traffic noise impacts of infrastructure projects involving new roads and/or major upgrading of existing roads.

The Department will engage acoustic consultants in the detailed design phase to undertake a noise assessment for the intersection upgrade project.  Results of the assessment will be used to determine what, if any, and where noise mitigation treatments are appropriate.

Please be assured every effort is made by the Department and its construction contractors, to minimise impacts to residents as much as practically possible.

In collaboration with the City of Playford, the Department is working to improve access and safety and reduce waiting and travel times at the junction of Yorktown Road and Adams Road. This project will include the installation of a roundabout at the junction of Yorktown Road and Adams Road, installation of pedestrian refuges on each approach, new and upgraded footpaths and shared use paths, new kerbing and guttering, new line marking, pavement construction and resurfacing and new and upgraded LED lighting.

As part of the State Government’s election commitments, the Department for Infrastructure and Transport (the Department) is upgrading, or investigating potential upgrades, in the northern suburbs to improve safety, access and traffic flow. These election commitments are across twelve locations and includes the installation of a roundabout at the junction of Yorktown Road and Adams Road.

A six-week consultation period was held in late 2022, seeking feedback from the community and key stakeholders to assist in building a comprehensive picture of how the Northern Adelaide Road network is operating.

More than 400 pieces of feedback were received and highlighted key areas of community concern. These included congestion, travel time, access and motorist and pedestrian safety.

To achieve these critical upgrades some minor tree and vegetation impacts will be required. Preliminary investigations have identified that a small number of trees within the immediate project area will be affected.

Every effort has been made to minimise impacts to trees and vegetation as much as practically possible. Where impacts cannot be avoided, all care and consideration will be taken in the removal and handling of vegetation. Removal of impacted vegetation will be carefully supervised by an arborist.

The Department is actively investigating ways to offset vegetation impacts, and impacts will be managed and offset in accordance with legislative requirements and the Departments Environment and Heritage Technical Manual.

The concept design includes improvements to increase both pedestrians’ and cyclists’ safety in the area. Improvements specifically designed to increase safety for people cycling and walking are new and upgraded footpaths and shared use paths and pavement surfacing. A pedestrian and bicycle path is included at the roundabout whereby cyclists and pedestrians can utilise this off-road facility, avoiding the need to navigate through the roundabout. It involves cyclists / pedestrians being placed on paths that begin prior to the roundabout and then on to a path around the roundabout.

In collaboration with the City of Playford, the Department is working to improve access and safety and reduce congestion and travel times at the junction of John Rice Avenue and Haydown Road. This project includes the installation of new traffic signals at the junction and the widening of John Rice Avenue to provide a dedicated right turn lane into Haydown Road. Additional treatments include the installation of new LED lighting, kerbing, guttering, line marking as well as new and upgraded road surface.

As part of the State Government’s election commitments, the Department for Infrastructure and Transport (the Department) is upgrading or investigating potential upgrades, in the northern suburbs to improve safety, access and traffic flow. These election commitments are across twelve locations and includes the John Rice Avenue and Haydown Road Junction Upgrade project.

A six-week consultation period was held in late 2022, seeking feedback from the community and key stakeholders to assist in building a comprehensive picture of how the Northern Adelaide Road network is operating.

More than 400 pieces of feedback were received and highlighted key areas of community concern. These included congestion, travel time, access and motorist and pedestrian safety.

To achieve these critical upgrades some tree and vegetation impacts will be required. Preliminary investigations have identified that trees within the immediate project area will be affected.

Every effort has been made to minimise impacts to trees and vegetation as much as practically possible. Where impacts cannot be avoided, all care and consideration will be taken in the removal and handling of vegetation.

Removal of impacted vegetation will be carefully supervised by an arborist. The Department is actively investigating way to offset vegetation impacts, and impacts will be managed and offset in accordance with legislative requirements and the Departments Environment and Heritage Technical Manual.

The Department is working collaboratively with the Lyell McEwin Hospital and the South Australian Ambulance Service to ensure there is no disruption to the planned health precinct expansion, or to emergency services operations in the area.

The Department’s Road Traffic Noise Guidelines provides guidance to departmental staff and consultants in addressing road traffic noise as a key part of infrastructure project development. The Guidelines set out the process to be followed and criteria to be applied when assessing the road traffic noise impacts of infrastructure projects involving new roads and/or major upgrading of existing roads.

Please be assured every effort is made by the Department and its construction contractors, to minimise impacts to stakeholder, residents, and local businesses as much as practically possible.

The concept design includes signalised pedestrian crossings as part of the upgraded intersection. In addition, the existing pedestrian crossing, 70m east of the intersection, will continue to provide opportunities for people to cross John Rice Avenue.

Yes. The road rules state you must keep to the left of single continuous lines. You must not cross these lines to overtake or make a U-turn however you may cross them to:

• enter or leave the road;
• enter a turning lane that begins immediately after the island;
• park in angle parking on the opposite side of the road; or
• to leave enough room to safely overtake a bicycle rider.

but only if you have a clear view of approaching traffic and can do so safely.