City tram extension on track

Trams should be running from the city’s west to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre by April, when the next stage of the city to coast light rail extension is completed.

Workers so far have laid 500m of the 2.8km track, and a new stop, one of four, has been installed at the intersection of West Tce and North Tce.

Project director Manuel Delgado said construction on the $100 million project was reaching its peak with an average of 250 people on site each day.

“We’ve been welding a lot of rail so there is a lot ready to be laid on blocks and we hope to lay the rest of it in January,” he said.

The extended line will continue to run on a central track from the existing City West stop, along North Tce, across West Tce towards James Congdon Drv and head north along Port Rd until it terminates outside the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

There were plans to extend the line to West Lakes in 2015, but these have been delayed to help pay for the $450 million Adelaide Oval redevelopment.

Mr Delgado said the project’s biggest challenge had been heavy rain during winter but the extension was still scheduled to be finished in the first quarter of 2010.

“We want to minimise the inconvenience to motorists so it’s important to do that work quickly and safely.

“The sooner we get out of there the sooner we have an addition to the public transport system.”

Workers will take a short break over Christmas and new year and return on January 4.


Source: city-messenger.whereilive.com.au