PRODUCED BY INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERSHIPS AUSTRALIA
Project

North South Corridor

PROJECT STATUS
Under Procurement
North South Corridor

The North-South Corridor will provide a dedicated non-stop thoroughfare for north and south bound traffic (including freight) running between Gawler and Old Noarlunga and passing through the Adelaide CBD, a distance of 78 kilometres (with 44 kilometres of motorway already complete). 

Sections that have already been contracted and were funded through a deal between the SA and Federal Governments include: 

  • Southern Expressway ($407 million)
  • Darlington Upgrade ($620 million)
  • Torrens Road to River Torrens ($896 million)
  • Regency Road to Pym Street ($354 million)
  • South Road Superway ($842 million)
  • Northern Connector ($867 million), and
  • Northern Expressway ($564 million).

The Torrens to Darlington (T2D) section is yet to be procured. Estimated at $15.4 billion, this section is to be delivered in two stages: 

  • Stage One: ANZAC Highway to Darlington, and
  • Stage Two: River Torrens to ANZAC Highway.

The T2D section would comprise 10.5 kilometres of motorway, including approximately seven kilometres of twin three-lane tunnels.

Key Dates

2010 Construction Commencement
Jan 2023 ROIs Open
2030 Expected Construction Completion

Funding contributions

Federal Government
SA Government

PROJECT HISTORY

Jun 2021 The 2021-22 South Australia Budget revealed a change in scope and increase in cost for the Torrens to Darlington Section of the project. The scope was increased to include an additional lane and wider tunnels, raising the estimated total cost from $8.9 billion to $9.9 billion. The 2021-22 SA Budget allocated $3.3 billion over four years, including $151 million in FY2021-22.
Jul 2021 A project map revealing the southern entry and exit points of the tunnel was released.
Nov 2021 The SA Government released the Reference Design for the ANZAC Highway to Darlington and River Torrens to ANZAC Highway sections. The Designs confirm the two sections will include a combined 10.5 kilometres of motorway, comprising seven kilometres of tunnels. The River Torrens to ANZAC Highway section will include over two kilometres of twin three-lane tunnels.
Jan 2022 The SA Government opened Request for Tender (RFT) for the North-South Corridor Torrens to Darlington Operation, Maintenance and Systems Adviser role. Responses to RFTs close on 17 February 2022.
Mar 2022 The SA Government issued a Request for Tender for the Cost Estimating Services during the pre-procurement, procurement, and detailed design phases of the project, closing on 21 April.
Apr 2022 The SA Government issued a Request for Tender (RFT) for a Probity Auditor, closing 17 May.
Dec 2022 The SA Government announced that the Torrens to Darlington tunnels would be delivered sequentially, and provided a revised project cost.
Jan 2023 The SA Government released updated designs for the North South Corridor – River Torrens to Darlington project. The updated designs include two tunnels and has a revised total estimated cost of $15.4 billion.
Jan 2023 The South Australian Department for Infrastructure and Transport commenced a Registration of Interest process for Stage One and Stage Two of the Torrens to Darlington project, closing 7th March. The project will be delivered using an Alliance contract.
Sector
Road
Procurement approach
Traditional Procurement | Alliance |
Location
South Australia | National |
Resources
Project website
Project map - TBM launch site
Government resources
North-South Corridor, The 10 Year Strategy
Project Fact Sheet
Infrastructure funding profiles 2019-20
Media releases
2015/12/23
2015/04/30
2021/06/22
2021/11/28
2023/01/05
Tender notices
2022/03/23 - RFT for Cost Estimating Services
2022/01/19
2022/04/19
2023/01/25
Project pages
Department for Infrastructure and Transport
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications
Major Contract

Torrens to Darlington - Stage Two - River Torrens to Anzac Highway

PROJECT STATUS
Under Procurement
Torrens to Darlington - Stage Two - River Torrens to Anzac Highway

The 10.5-kilometre Torrens to Darlington (T2D) project is the final section of North-South Corridor. The section will allow motorists to bypass 21 sets of traffic lights when travelling between the River Torrens and Darlington. 

Also referred to as Airport Link and Northern Tunnel, Stage Two includes approximately 4.5 kilometres of motorway connecting River Torrens and ANZAC Highway. 2.3 kilometres of Stage Two is to be constructed in twin three-lane tunnels.

The original cost estimate for the Torrens to Darlington project (both stages) was $9.9 billion. Following a review in December 2022, the cost estimate now sits at $15.4 billion.

Planning, early works, procurement and approvals processes for Stage One and Two will run concurrently. 

Key Dates

Apr 2019 Project Announcement
2023 Expected EOIs Open
Jan 2023 ROIs Open
2024 Expected Contract Award
2026 Expected Construction Commencement
Dec 2031 Expected Construction Completion

Funding contributions

Federal Government
SA Government

Procurement

Procuring Agency: Department of Infrastructure and Transport
Procurement note:

The scope of works for the Torrens to Darlington project will be delivered using an Alliance contract.
Related contracts:
Master Advisory Services contract
Successful Tenderer - A Joint Venture of Aurecon and Mott MacDonald

Reference design
Successful Tenderer - A Joint Venture of GHD, WGA and WSP

Tunneling investigation
Successful Tenderer - PwC, SMEC, WSP and Tunnelling Solutions

PROJECT HISTORY

Apr 2019 The Federal and South Australian Governments jointly committed $5.4 billion for the Torrens to Darlington section of the North-South Corridor.
Dec 2019 After reviewing the initial business case, and on advice from Infrastructure SA, the SA Government announced it will establish a Program Management Office within the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure in early 2020.
Nov 2020 The 2020-21 SA Budget allocated $30.5 million over FY2020-21 to finalise the business case for Torrens to Darlington section.
Nov 2020 The South Australian Government commenced market sounding process for the Torrens to Darlington section. Registration of Interest were called from 17 November to 25 November, with interviews with selected participants, as well as written feedback submission concluding on 18 December 2020.
Nov 2020 The South Australian Government announced the commencement of reference design phase.
Nov 2020 Following the selection of preferred option, new geotechnical testing commenced.
Nov 2020 A 'hybrid+' option was selected as the preferred design option for Torrens to Darlington. The specific details of the hybrid+ option design, operation and connectivity are to be presented as investigation works and the reference design process are progressed.
Jan 2021 The Government of South Australia called for Registrations of Interest to participate in the market sounding process for transaction advisory services for both stages of the Torrens to Darlington section of the North-South Corridor.
Feb 2021 The Government of South Australia issued the Request for Tenders for Phase Two Geotechnical Investigation Studies for the North-South Corridor – Torrens to Darlington, with tenders closing on 16 March 2021.
Feb 2021 A Joint Venture of Aurecon and Mott MacDonald was awarded the Master Advisory Services contract for the Project.
Mar 2021 A Request for Tender (RFT) for the provision of Transaction Advisory Services was released. The RFT closed on 13 April 2021.
Jun 2021 The 2021-22 South Australia Budget revealed a change in scope and increase in cost for the Torrens to Darlington project. The scope now includes an additional lane and wider tunnels, meaning the scope is now for twin three-lane tunnels across Stage One and Stage Two of the project. The change in scope has raised the estimated total cost from $8.9 billion to $9.9 billion.
Aug 2021 The South Australian Department for Infrastructure and Transport opened a Registration of Interest for the Phase Two Market Sounding Process for the North-South Corridor – Torrens to Darlington project, closing on 1 October. This market sounding process was expected to inform packaging, procurement, and delivery approaches across the three key project delivery sectors of contractors, operators and maintainers, and the wider supply chain.
Sep 2021 A Request for Tender (RFT) opened for phase three and four ground investigation studies.
Nov 2021 The North-South Corridor Project Delivery Office opened a Request for Tender for Technical and Engineering Advisory Services during the pre-procurement, procurement, and detailed design phases, with the RFT closing on 21 December 2021.
Nov 2021 The SA Government released the Reference Design for the ANZAC Highway to Darlington and River Torrens to ANZAC Highway sections. The Designs confirm the two sections will include a combined 10.5 kilometres of motorway, comprising seven kilometres of tunnels.
Feb 2022 The Federal Government announced $2.26 billion for Stage Two of the T2D. T2D is now fully funded across both stages.
Mar 2022 The 2022-23 Federal Budget allocated $2.3 billion to Stage Two of the T2D over four years, confirming February's announcement.
Apr 2022 The SA Government invites potential bidders to lodge a formal Expression of Interest.
Aug 2022 During the South Australian Department for Infrastructure and Transport's annual Construction Sector Industry Briefing, a prospective timeline for the procurement of the Torrens to Darlington project was announced.
Dec 2022 A design and financial review was undertaken by the SA Government, leading to design changes and an increase of the cost estimate to $15.4 billion from $9.9 billion.
Jan 2023 The Government of South Australia commenced a Registration of Interest process for Stage One and Stage Two of the Torrens to Darlington project. The scope of works comprises the delivery of a 10.5-kilometre motorway and will be delivered using an Alliance contract.
Apr 2023 The South Australian Government opened Expressions of Interest for Stage One and Two of the project. Requests for Proposals are expected to be opened to shortlisted bidders in September 2023.
Sector
Road
Procurement approach
Alliance |
Location
South Australia |
Infrastructure Australia status
Priority Initiative (near-term, 0-5 years)
Resources
Government resources
North-South Corridor, The 10 Year Strategy
Infrastructure funding profiles 2019-20 Budget
Media releases
2020/11/11 (Reference design phase)
2020/11/11 (Technical investigations)
2021/02/04
2021/06/22
2021/08/31
2021/11/28
2022/02/14
2020/11/10
20230413
Tender notices
Transaction Advisory Services
2021/09/16
2021/11/21
2023/01/25
Project pages
Department of Infrastructure and Transport
Major Contract

Torrens to Darlington - Stage One - Darlington to Anzac Highway

PROJECT STATUS
Under Procurement
Torrens to Darlington - Stage One - Darlington to Anzac Highway

The 10.5-kilometre Torrens to Darlington (T2D) project is the final section of North-South Corridor. 

Stage One of Torrens to Darlington project will see the completion of the motorway between Anzac Highway to Darlington. Also referred to as the Southern Tunnel, Stage One includes approximately six kilometres of motorway, of which over four kilometres is to comprise twin three-lane tunnels as well as a pedestrian overpass to provide access to Black Forerst Shopping Centre and Primary School.

The original cost estimate for the Torrens to Darlington project (both stages) was $9.9 billion. Following a review in December 2022, the cost estimate now sits at $15.4 billion.

Key Dates

Apr 2019 Project Announcement
Jan 2023 ROIs Open
Apr 2023 EOIs Open
2024 Expected Contract Award
2025 Expected Construction Commencement
2030 Expected Construction Completion

Funding contributions

Federal Government
SA Government

Procurement

Procuring Agency: Department of Infrastructure and Transport
Procurement note:

The scope of works for the Torrens to Darlington project will be delivered using an Alliance contract.
Related contracts:
Master Advisory Services contract
Successful Tenderer - A Joint Venture between Aurecon and Mott MacDonald

Reference design
Successful Tenderer - A Joint Venture between GHD, WGA and WSP

Tunneling investigation
Successful Tenderer - PwC, SMEC, WSP and Tunnelling Solutions

PROJECT HISTORY

Apr 2019 The Federal and South Australian Governments jointly committed $5.4 billion for the Torrens to Darlington section of the North-South Corridor.
Dec 2019 After reviewing the initial business case, and on advice from Infrastructure SA, the SA Government announced it will establish a Program Management Office (PMO) within the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) in early 2020.
Nov 2020 Following the selection of preferred option, new geotechnical testing commenced.
Nov 2020 A 'hybrid+' option was announced as the preferred design option for Torrens to Darlington. The specific details of the hybrid+ option design, operation and connectivity are to be presented as investigation works and the reference design process are progressed.
Nov 2020 The South Australian Government commenced market sounding process for the Torrens to Darlington section. Registration of Interest were called from 17 November to 25 November, with interviews with selected participants, as well as written feedback submission concluding on 18 December 2020.
Nov 2020 The South Australian Government announced the commencement of reference design phase.
Jan 2021 The Government of South Australia called for Registrations of Interest to participate in the market sounding process for transaction advisory services for both stages of the Torrens to Darlington section of the North-South Corridor.
Feb 2021 A Joint Venture of Aurecon and Mott MacDonald were awarded the Master Advisory Services contract for the Project.
Feb 2021 The Government of South Australia issued the Request for Tenders for Phase Two Geotechnical Investigation Studies for the North-South Corridor – Torrens to Darlington, with tenders closing on 16 March 2021.
Mar 2021 Procurement for Transaction Advisory Services began with registrations for the Request for Tenders (RFT) closing on 13 April.
May 2021 Aurecon was awarded the second contract of the project's ground investigation, focusing on the Southern Tunnel section of the corridor.
May 2021 The 2021-22 Federal Budget allocated $2.6 billion towards Stage 1 of T2D.
Jun 2021 The 2021-22 South Australia Budget revealed a change in scope and increase in cost for the Torrens to Darlington Section of the project. The scope was increased to include an additional lane and wider tunnels, meaning the scope is now for twin three-lane tunnels across Stage One and Stage Two of the project. The change in scope has raised the estimated total cost from $8.9 billion to $9.9 billion. The Budget allocated $3.3 billion over the next four years, including $151 million in FY2021-22.
Aug 2021 The South Australian Department for Infrastructure and Transport opened a Registration of Interest for the Phase Two Market Sounding Process for the North-South Corridor – Torrens to Darlington project, closing on 1 October. This market sounding process was expected to inform packaging, procurement, and delivery approaches for contractors, operators and maintainers, and the wider supply chain.
Oct 2021 The South Australian Government released the detailed designs for the project, and revealed the T2D section has an estimated total cost of $5.4 billion. An elevated ramp will take motorists from the south directly from the T2D motorway to Anzac Highway on a new structure over the interchange at South Road. The designs also include a pedestrian overpass to provide access to Black Forest Shopping Centre and Primary School.
Nov 2021 The North-South Corridor Project Delivery Office opened a Request for Tender for Technical and Engineering Advisory Services during the pre-procurement, procurement, and detailed design phases, with the RFT closing on 21 December 2021.
Nov 2021 The SA Government released the Reference Design for the ANZAC Highway to Darlington and River Torrens to ANZAC Highway sections. The Designs confirm the two sections will include a combined 10.5 kilometres of motorway, comprising seven kilometres of tunnels.
Aug 2022 During the South Australian Department for Infrastructure and Transport's annual Construction Sector Industry Briefing, a prospective timeline for the procurement of the Torrens to Darlington project was announced.
Dec 2022 A design and financial review was undertaken by the Government of South Australia. The review found that the Southern tunnel portal needs to move approximately 300 metres to the north to improve traffic performance and safety. The timeline for project delivery and approach to procurement were also revised following the review. Citing market capacity constraints, the northern and southern tunnels will now be constructed sequentially, removing the proposed overlap in construction timelines and project completion has been moved back one year to 2031.
Jan 2023 The Government of South Australia commenced a Registration of Interest process for Stage One and Stage Two of the Torrens to Darlington project. The scope of works comprises the delivery of a 10.5-kilometre motorway and will be delivered using an Alliance contract.
Apr 2023 The South Australian Government opened Expressions of Interest for Stage One and Two of the project. Requests for Proposals are expected to be opened to shortlisted bidders in September 2023.
Sector
Road
Procurement approach
Alliance |
Location
South Australia |
Infrastructure Australia status
Priority Initiative (near-term, 0-5 years)
Resources
Government resources
North-South Corridor, The 10 Year Strategy
Infrastructure funding profiles 2019-20 Budget
Media releases
2021/10/24
2019/04/01
2020/11/10
2020/11/11 (Reference design phase)
2020/11/11 (Technical investigations)
2021/02/04
2021/06/22
2021/11/28
2023/04/18
2023/04/13
Tender notices
Transaction Advisory Services
2021/08/31
2021/11/21
2023/01/25
Project pages
Department of Infrastructure and Transport
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