Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
ABC News
ABC News
National
By Ruby Jones

Roadworks frustrating Adelaide motorists

Are roadworks and delays - like this burst main on North East Road - all too familiar in Adelaide?

If it feels like you're constantly getting held up by roadworks there's a good chance you actually are, with Traffic SA's latest map showing close to 100 projects across Adelaide.

Map providers are struggling to keep up — try crossing Torrens Road near the new motorway and watch your route being recalculated.

There's works big and small, from tree-pruning, paving, and stormwater trap cleaning, to the O-Bahn City Access Project and the South Road upgrades.

An anecdotal snapshot of Adelaide residents indicates there are more frustrating delays for drivers.

Cafe worker Sarah Tirimacco said she was regularly late to work because of roadworks, especially in recent months.

"You see a couple of people having a smoke, having an iced coffee, and you're just driving through ... at least be working," she said.

Security guard Paul Stait agreed, saying the situation was a "nightmare" and he "very rarely" saw work such as drilling, digging or surface laying.

"They take too long to complete, there never seems to be an end to it," he said.

According to the RAA's road safety analyst Richard Butler, the frustration of delays from roadworks could all be in your head.

"It may appear like there are a lot roadworks taking place but I would suggest that in reality the times that they occur are quite variable," he said.

"Many of the small projects, including vegetation and tree pruning and sign installation, only occur during non-peak periods."

Bike SA's Christian Haag said bike paths were often merged with roads where works occurred, having an "immense" impact on cyclists.

"Road restrictions around construction sites focus on motorists' needs, not cyclists' needs, and it's a really concerning conflict point."

Patience the best virtue for navigating roadworks

As for navigating bottlenecks around work sites, Mr Butler's recommendation is to be patient, slow down and obey the posted speed limits.

"Even if motorists can't see road workers they may be hidden from view, or there may be hazards that they can't see," he said.

"Our advice to motorists is before their journey they should plan ahead by utilising tools such as Traffic SA, or downloading the AddInsight app which alerts people to real-time delays."

The SA Government has a program called Operation Moving Traffic, which has led to signs displaying travel times, changes to traffic light sequences, and tinkering with clearways and bus lanes.

The same initiative resulted in an embarrassing typo on a new sign on Mann Road promoting the city ring route.

The Australian Traffic Network's Nick Green said although delays could be annoying, all roadworks were ultimately for the "greater good".

"You have to go through a little bit of pain to get to a good result in the end, and ultimately improve travel times," he said.

"I've noticed a lot more works are happening at night time, which is great ... a lot of them are packing up by 6am so they are not affecting the peaks as much."

Perhaps some perspective is the best medicine — after all, Adelaide rarely faces congestion like the gridlock on the east coast.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.