PRODUCED BY INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERSHIPS AUSTRALIA
Project

North South Corridor

PROJECT STATUS
Awarded
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. Upon its completion in 2031, the Corridor will comprise a free-flowing 78 kilometre non-stop motorway.

The North South Corridor comprises of (from Old Noarlunga to Gawler): 

  • The Southern Expressway Duplication ($407.5 million) - operational since August 2014. 
  • The Darlington Upgrade Project ($754.5 million) - operational since 2021.
  • Torrens to Darlington T2D (approx. $15.4 billion) - awarded
  • Gallipoli Underpass ($118 million) - operational since March 2009.
  • Torrens Road to River Torrens Project ($767 million) - operational since 2018.
  • Regency Road to Pym Street ($354.3 million) - completed 2021.
  • South Road Superway (842 million) - completed December 2013.
  • Northern Connector ($867 million) - operational since March 2020.
  • Northern Expressway ($546 million) - operational since 2010.

The Torrens to Darlington (T2D) section, estimated at $15.4 billion, includes: 

  • Southern Tunnels: ANZAC Highway to Darlington, and
  • Northern Tunnels: James Congdon Drive to ANZAC Highway.

The T2D section will comprise 10.5 kilometres of motorway, with the two separate twin three-lane tunnels connected by 2.5 kilometres of open motorway.

Key Dates

2010 Construction Commencement
Jan 2023 ROIs Open: T2D
Apr 2023 EOIs Open: T2D
Aug 2024 Contract Award: T2D
2025 Expected Construction Commencement: T2D
2030 Expected Construction Completion

Funding contributions

  • Southern Expressway Duplication $407.5 million - state funded. 
  • Darlington Upgrade Project $754.5 million - $603.6 million federally funded and $150.9 million state funded.
  • Torrens to Darlington approximately $15.4 billion - $7.7 billion federally funded and $7.7 billion state funded.
  • Gallipoli Underpass $118 million - state funded. 
  • Torrens Road to River Torrens Project $767 million - $383.5 million federally funded and $383.5 million state funded. 
  • South Road Superway $842 million - $395.5 million federally funded.
  • Northern Connector Project $867 million - $685.6 million federally funded. 
  • Northern Expressway $564 million - $438.4 million federally funded.

Procurement

Procuring Agency: Department for Infrastructure and Transport
Successful Tenderer: T2D: John Holland, Bouygues Construction, Arcadis Australia, Jacobs and Ventia.
Related contracts:
Master Advisory Services
Successful Tenderer - A Joint Venture of Aurecon and Mott MacDonald

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.
Apr 2023 Project enters EOI phase. Both stages are being procured together.
Nov 2023 The Federal Government commits an additional $2.75 billion to the Torrens to Darlington project, a return to 50:50 funding.
Nov 2023 Early works commence on T2D.
Aug 2024 The contract was awarded for the delivery of the T2D section of the project. The two tunnels, originally being procured as separate contracts, were both awarded to a single consortium comprising John Holland, Bouygues Construction, Arcadis Australia, Jacobs and Ventia.
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
2024/08/11 - T2D Contract Award
2015/12/23
2015/04/30
2021/06/22
2021/11/28
2023/01/05
Tender notices
2022/01/19
2022/04/19
2023/01/25
2022/03/23 - RFT for Cost Estimating Services
Project pages
Department for Infrastructure and Transport
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications
Major Contract

Torrens to Darlington

PROJECT STATUS
Awarded
Torrens to Darlington

The 10.5-kilometre Torrens to Darlington (T2D) project is the final section to be completed of the 78-kilometre North South Corridor in Adelaide.  

The scope of the T2D project comrpises:

  • the Southern Tunnels from Darlington to south of Anzac Highway, including four kilometres of twin three-lane tunnels
  • a 2.5-kilometre open twin three-lane motorway linking the Southern and Northern tunnels, including east-west connectivity and links to the airport, and
  • the Northern Tunnels from James Congdon Drive to the existing open motorway south of Grange Road, including 2.2-kilometres of twin three-lane tunnels.

Key Dates

Apr 2019 Project Announcement
Jan 2023 ROIs Open
Apr 2023 EOIs Open
Aug 2024 Contract Award
2025 Expected Construction Commencement
2031 Expected Construction Completion

Funding contributions

Federal Government
SA Government

Procurement

Procuring Agency: Department of Infrastructure and Transport
Successful Tenderer: John Holland, Bouygues Construction, Arcadis Australia, Jacobs and Ventia.
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.
Nov 2020 The 2020-21 SA Budget allocated $30.5 million over FY2020-21 to finalise the business case for Torrens to Darlington section.
Jan 2021 The Government of South Australia called for Registrations of Interest to participate in the market sounding process for transaction advisory services for 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 the Southern Tunnels 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 the Northern and Southern Tunnels. 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.
Sep 2021 A Request for Tender (RFT) opened for phase three and four ground investigation studies.
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.
Feb 2022 The Federal Government announced $2.26 billion for the Northern Tunnels of the T2D. T2D is now fully funded across both stages.
Mar 2022 The 2022-23 Federal Budget allocated $2.3 billion to the Northern Tunnels 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 Government of South Australia. The review found the project's total estimated cost increased from $9.9 billion to $15.4 billion. The review also 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 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 the project. Requests for Proposals are expected to be opened to shortlisted bidders in September 2023.
Nov 2023 The Federal Government committed an additional $2.75 billion to the T2D, bringing its funding commitment to $7.7 billion.
Nov 2023 Early works commences for T2D.
Mar 2024 The SA Government released the Project Assessment Report for T2D, seeking feedback at community events throughout March 2024.
Aug 2024 The SA Government announced the preferred alliance partner to deliver both the Northern and Southern tunnel packages of the T2D project. The successful consortium comprises John Holland, Bouygues Construction, Arcadis Australia, Jacobs and Ventia. The consortium's tender detailed a plan to procure three tunnel boring machines instead of the two identified in the planning process, meaning both north and south tunnels are expected to be constructed concurrently.
Estimated Total Cost
(2023)
Sector
Road
Procurement approach
Alliance |
Location
South Australia |
Resources
Government resources
North-South Corridor, The 10 Year Strategy
Infrastructure funding profiles 2019-20 Budget
Media releases
2024/03/05
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
2024/08/11 - Preferred Alliance Partner
2022/02/14
2021/09/16
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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