Main South Road duplication stage 2 reaches new project milestone

The second stage of the Main South Road Duplication project in South Australia is on track to be completed in 2026 as it marks a new milestone. 

The southbound on and off-ramps at the new Aldinga Interchange are now open to traffic. This interchange realigns the junctions of Aldinga Beach Road and Aldinga Road to provide a safer and more efficient connection to and from Main South Road as well as smoother connections to the Fleurieu region. 

“The opening of the southbound on and off-ramps at the new Aldinga Interchange is a major milestone in an important project that will create better connections for motorists. 

“Over the coming months, you’ll start to see some major changes taking shape across the project, including new road connections, traffic switches and the finishing touches, with crews working hard to keep things moving as we progress towards completion. 

SA is building and we are supporting growing communities with the infrastructure they need, while driving innovation and sustainability in road construction,” SA Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Emily Bourke said. 

About 19,000 vehicles pass through Main South Road each day and traffic volume is expected to grow to 26,000 vehicles a day by 2036. 

This duplication project is vital in ensuring people living, visiting or doing business can get to and from this beautiful part of South Australia safely and stress-free. 

The recently opened southbound ramps at the Aldinga Interchange will form part of the future permanent layout where Main South Road traffic will flow freely under the Aldinga bridge. 

The ramps will provide dedicated access to and from Aldinga, improving traffic efficiency and connectivity across the southern section of the Main South Road project. 

In the coming weeks, traffic will temporarily shift back on to the newly built southbound carriageway on Main South Road between Aldinga Road and Perth Street to enable finishing works on the northbound carriageway to be carried out. 

“The opening of these ramps represents a huge milestone for our area which started a campaign for a duplicated Main South Road almost a decade ago. 

“Labor listened to the community and funded the project back in 2017, but then the Liberals formed government in 2018 and put the project in the slow lane, they tried to steal a lane and add a roundabout plus at least two sets of traffic lights. It would have been a disaster. 

“We went to the 2022 election with the promise that we’d align Aldinga Road and Aldinga Beach Road to improve safety and access for locals while creating a four-lane, non-stop journey for cars, buses and trucks heading to and from the southern Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island. 

“This is a classic case of building infrastructure that will last decades and I want to thank Labor ministers who have backed this in over the years and show my appreciation for locals, led by the Main South Road Action Group, who fought so hard for the project,” State Member for Mawson Leon Bignell said. 

The Aldinga Bridge opened to traffic in March of this year, and it is a key feature of the Aldinga Interchange. 

A major focus of the project is sustainability. An equivalent of more than 31 million recycled glass bottles – about 7,000 tonnes of glass – will be repurposed in the construction of the new roadway from Aldinga to Sellicks Beach. 

The recycled glass replaces a portion of natural sand in the asphalt. This glass is diverted from the local waste stream, creating a circular economy – a big win for sustainability. 

In addition, the landscaping program for the Main South Road Duplication Stage 2 will include environmental and social benefits for generations to come. 

Thousands of trees, shrubs, understory and aquatic plants will be added along the project corridor to enhance the region’s stunning vistas while, at the same time, providing new community amenity and new habitat for local fauna. 

Stage 2 of the Main South Road Duplication – between Aldinga Beach Road and Sellicks Beach – is jointly funded by the Australian and South Australian Government, and is being delivered as part of the $810.4 million Fleurieu Connections project. 

The project is supporting 405 full-time equivalent jobs during construction. 

“The Australian Government is pleased to be partnering with the South Australian Government to deliver stage two of the Main South Road duplication from Aldinga to Sellicks Beach. 

“Opening the southbound on and off-ramps at the new Aldinga Interchange will have significant benefits for the many thousands of people who pass through the area each day, reducing travel times and providing safer and more reliable journeys,” Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said. 

The Main South Road Duplication Stage 2 project includes: 

• The realignment of Aldinga Beach Road intersection and Sellicks Beach Road intersection 

• An underpass at the intersection of Main South Road with the newly re-aligned Aldinga Road and Aldinga Beach Road 

• Two U-turns to facilitate local access in addition to the Aldinga Interchange 

• Key intersection upgrades at Hart and Colville roads, Norman and Rogers roads, and Hahn and Cox roads 

• Installation of wide centre medians, wire rope safety barriers to separate northbound and southbound traffic 

• A Shared User Path (SUP) along the western side of Main South Road 

“With construction due to be completed in 2026, it’s great to already see the benefits of the Main South Road duplication from Aldinga to Sellicks Beach starting to be realised for motorists in southern Adelaide. 

“Good infrastructure investment creates jobs, builds opportunity and unlocks economic growth and productivity, which I’m pleased to see is happening at the new Aldinga Interchange – with more to come as stage two is completed,” Federal Member for Kingston Amanda Rishworth said. 

Source: Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government; Government of South Australia – Media Releases; Fleurieu Connections Alliance; Government of South Australia – Department for Infrastructure and Transport