Beam me up: Tram upgrades reach new heights

Monday 22 September 2025

The first beams have been craned into place as construction of Adelaide’s new tram overpasses ramps up.

The overpass over Marion Road is the first of three new overpasses to be installed as part of the Tram Grade Separation Projects, which have seen the removal of the three congested tram level crossings at Plympton and Morphettville, making travel in the area safer, faster and easier for people who use public transport, walk, cycle or drive.

Overpasses are now being built to take the tram line over the roads. Following the installation of the overpass over Marion Road, work will continue on the section over Cross Road and the overpass at Morphett Road.

At Marion and Cross Roads, the new overpass will be comprised of 52 beams, with four beams to each ‘span’ – the distance between each support. The bridge itself is made up of 13 spans, each around 35 metres long, giving it a total length of 460 metres – and 730 metres when including the approach ramps.

At Morphett Road, 34 beams will span across the overpass, which will reach 380 metres in length all up.

In addition to these significant works, the South Road Overpass is also being rebuilt to accommodate the lowered motorway as part of a new non-stop South Road.

The rebuilt South Road Tram Overpass is a 95-metre steel arch bridge, which has been constructed adjacent to South Road, and will be soon moved into place.

This section alone requires 1,200 tonnes of structural steel, along with 520 cubic metres of concrete poured into the piles. It will be positioned using Self-Propelled Modular Transporters - large, multi-wheeled heavy-load vehicles that will manoeuvre it into place.

Across all three sites, the design integrates community space and cultural elements, including the elevated Mike Turtur Bikeway shared-use path alongside the tramline.

With the tram line closed between South Terrace and Moseley Square, construction is being fast-tracked, reducing the impacts on residents, businesses, road and public transport users. It also means work can be undertaken at all locations at once, in and around the tram corridor with full services resuming for the start of the school year in 2026.

Together, the projects are supporting more than a thousand jobs during construction.

During the partial tram line closure, buses have replaced trams between South Terrace and Moseley Square, connecting with trams arriving and departing at the South Terrace tram stop, as well as express and limited stop services to and from stops within the CBD. More information can be found on the Adelaide Metro website.

The Marion Road level crossing removal is funded under the Marion Road – Anzac Highway to Cross Road project, which the Australian and South Australian governments have each committed $200 million to.

For more information, visit the Tram Grade Separation Projects website.