Southern expressway

[snifter]

Anyone been using it since it finally opened both ways?

 

Need to work out exits to see if its worth using or not when I am heading to the southern suburbs and beyond.

 

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/sas-transport-department-now-says-southern-expressway-will-officially-open-this-sunday/story-fnii5yv7-1227008598704?nk=da7f83cf10e1bd6ae157c13728ed7bd6

[sidestep]

Depend where you're heading from and to exactly. It seems preferable to using South Rd however anyone that would normally use Lonsdale Rd may not necessarily see a vast improvement on their travel times.

 

The northbound side is speed restricted to 80k from Noarlunga until you get to the 60k restriction which, I think, runs from just past the Panalatinga junction right down to Flinders. Dunno about the Seaford to Noarlunga section. Haven't been down that way yet.

Edited August 6, 2014 by sidestep

[adelaidenow]

Anyone been using it since it finally opened both ways?

 

Need to work out exits to see if its worth using or not when I am heading to the southern suburbs and beyond.

 

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/sas-transport-department-now-says-southern-expressway-will-officially-open-this-sunday/story-fnii5yv7-1227008598704?nk=da7f83cf10e1bd6ae157c13728ed7bd6

 

Have the exits changed from before?

(haven't read the link)

[beckdownunder]

I used it on Monday, both ways and was pleasantly surprised.

 

Just a shame it doesn't go nearer into the CBD

[xzibit]

I used it this morning. Now instead of having 3 cars driving side by side all at the same speed, it's possible to have a 4 car wide rolling road block. No wonder the Aussies are so excited about it reopening, that's what they do best.

[adelaidenow]

How were you pleasantry surprised? isn't the route the same as its always been? It's not extended is it?

 

I agree a motorway to the CBD is what all cities need.

[adelaidenow]

I used it this morning. Now instead of having 3 cars driving side by side all at the same speed, it's possible to have a 4 car wide rolling road block. No wonder the Aussies are so excited about it reopening, that's what they do best.

 

Does it have traffic lights on it, like South Rad and main South Road :arghh:

[xzibit]

South Rad and main South Road? What?

[DougM]

North bound exits have been changed so be in the left lane when exiting. Nice to be back up to 100ks and it's so smooth.

[snifter]

Have the exits changed from before?

(haven't read the link)

 

Not that I am aware of but I only used it once the entire time we have been here and that was heading south and have no clue if its even worth me using in future. Its not much use if there is no exit near to where I'll want to get off on the return trip. I'm assuming they put run ins and exits in the same points as where they are the other way iykwim.

 

I'm a checking google maps atm.

[V-Bird]

I regularly use the north east freeway from Tea Tree Plaza to the city but all I ever see on it are buses. Go figure..!

[beckdownunder]

How were you pleasantry surprised? isn't the route the same as its always been? It's not extended is it?

 

I agree a motorway to the CBD is what all cities need.

 

Even thoough the grand opening was on Sunday, I was still expecting it to have quite a bit of work going on, excessive speed restrictions etc. However, this wasn't the case, there were hardly any cars on it and 80 or 100km all the way (flinders - port noarlunga).

[GarethB]

I used it this morning. Now instead of having 3 cars driving side by side all at the same speed, it's possible to have a 4 car wide rolling road block. No wonder the Aussies are so excited about it reopening, that's what they do best.

 

It's so bloody annoying, what don't the locals understand about pulling into the left lane unless overtaking!

[Diane]

I regularly use the north east freeway from Tea Tree Plaza to the city but all I ever see on it are buses. Go figure..!

 

LOL that's something only someone very local would get or Irish tourists I understand....

[wizzywozza]

Used it Monday ......... broke down halfway up. NO EMERGENCY PHONES ON IT ANY MORE!!!! There were at least three accidents on it first thing Monday morning (including someone who thought the arrester bed was the left hand lane and one guy who managed to get on it the wrong way). If you are travelling down Marion Road southwards between 3.30pm and 4.30pm the traffic is now considerably worse than before as it backs up from the Expressway entrance right back past Daws Road. It's taking me an extra 10 minutes to get home from work in the afternoons since it opened. Poorly thought out with too many traffic lights which are now very slow to change in any direction.

 

Oh and some twit decided to do donuts/burn outs all over the new down hill part at the Darlington end on Monday night and there are skid marks all over it.

 

 

On the plus side MSR is lovely with less traffic on it. Just have to avoid all the pot holes now

 

 

 

Sharon

Edited August 9, 2014 by noworriesmate

[adelaidenow]

Why is there more traffic now than before going south at that time?

 

do you have a mobile?

 

for months I have read how fantastic it was going to be, what's changed your views? I listen to the ABC a lot, no mention there of issues, are the problems unique to PIA members?

Edited August 7, 2014 by adelaidenow

[wizzywozza]

The traffic backs up because the lights are so much slower. I have travelled that road just about every day for over 9 years for work and this week has been the worst travel times ever. Today I joined the jam just south of Cross Road (that's a long way north if you don't know the place) And yes, I do have a phone but my battery was flat. And not everyone DOES have a mobile, many older citizens use that road and a lot don['t have mobile phones. It's a bloody long walk to the nearest help.

[wizzywozza]

Nothing has changed MY views about the SE.

[Diane]

Final warning - the last five posts (including mine) have been offtopic and will be going, going, gone....

 

Now back to the road.... I do wonder about SA road designers - I took the Port River Expressway from the Port today for a couple of junctions, came off and used the new bit of the South Road extension to get down to GJR...whose idea could it have possibly been to make someone joining a three lane expressway join in the FAST lane not the INSIDE lane? Ridiculous idea!!

[adelaidenow]

The same person that designed the M42/M6 junction in England?

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

I used the "new" southern expressway on Monday. It was 9:30 and it was really quick through to Flinders.

I then went through to the city and picked up the expressway on the way back at 2 which was usually a time that it was closed! It was free flowing and perfect.

The holdups seem to be peak time caused by the Darlington issues which are next on the agenda to be fixed.

I used it the other evening from Lonsdale to Old Noarlunga and it was a pleasure compared to getting stuck on Main South.

 

Transport in the south has been a nightmare for 18 months due to the decision to electrify the train line AND duplicate the expressway at the same time. Thankfully both are now completed.

I have a surgeon staying with me and the travel from Port Noarlunga to Flinders hospital is now around 16 minutes both ways.

[adelaidenow]

Tamara, excellent post, thanks.

[minty]

It was a stupid decision to do the express way and train line at the same time but now both are done the south of Adelaide will reap the rewards. That said traffic was never that bad in my opinion, for the times I use the roads.

[Guest vikkiann]

Common sense and a sense of direction helps with the new junctions.

I'm using it every day, it means I get home so much quicker than Main South Road, I love it!

[sidestep]

...the travel from Port Noarlunga to Flinders hospital is now around 16 minutes both ways.

Does that mean it's 8 minutes each way?

 

Seriously though South Rd has been bloody awful all week during the evening peak. What they've done is changed the light timings at Sth Rd/Sturt Rd, Sth Rd/Flinders Drive and the expressway junction and these three combine to cause tailbacks to Cross Rd and beyond. Someone somewhere in DPTI need a damned good slap.

 

They'll probably be cocked up even further tomorrow as the Sth Rd/Expressway lights failed this evening at around 18:00 and SAPol were manually directing traffic.