Overview

Ventia is working to deliver the River Torrens to Darlington (T2D) project for the South Australian Department of Infrastructure and Transport (DIT). 

Client

South Australian Department of Infrastructure and Transport (DIT)

Project duration

Commenced: September 2024

Description

Ventia is proud to be a key delivery partner on the Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project—South Australia’s largest and most complex road infrastructure initiative. Ventia is helping to complete the final 10.5km section of Adelaide’s North-South Corridor, a vital 78km freight and commuter route connecting Gawler in the north to Old Noarlunga in the south.

This transformative $15.4 billion investment by the South Australian and Australian governments will deliver two parallel tunnels, over 2.5km of open motorway, and three lanes in each direction—significantly improving travel times, safety, and connectivity across metropolitan Adelaide.

The T2D Project will be a ‘managed motorway’ incorporating a range of intelligent transport systems (ITS) to manage traffic flows, improve safety, and provide travel time reliability. These systems include:

  • dedicated 24/7 traffic management centre (TMC)
  • coordinated ramp signalling
  • speed and lane use management
  • automated incident detection
  • dynamic variable messaging signs (VMS) to provide real-time information to motorists like incident warnings and likely travel time
  • tunnel closure system
  • automatic incident detection 
  • CCTV cameras for constant road monitoring and quick incident management
  • lane use management system to control speed limits and lane closures for optimised traffic flow and safety
  • fire detection and suppression systems to activate sprinklers 
  • radio rebroadcasting, so traffic management centre personnel can broadcast safety messages to motorists in the tunnels via their vehicle’s radio.

Ventia is delivering critical infrastructure and technology both as an Alliance Partner (Operations and Maintenance) and as a construction subcontractor (Control Management System). 

The T2D Alliance, made up of John Holland Group, Bouygues, Arcadis, Jacobs, and Ventia, are delivering the design and construction (D&C) of the final 10.5km section of Adelaide’s North-South Corridor. Ventia’s scope includes:

- Operations and Maintenance Strategy Development

- Asset Management Planning

- Sustainability and Lifecycle Services

By leveraging Ventia’s experience and expertise as a leading asset management services provider, the Alliance can deliver infrastructure that is optimised for sustainability and performance.

Once construction is complete the Maintenance and Incident Response (M&IR) services will commence under a new contract.  The scope of these future services includes operations and maintenance of the open motorway, tunnels, managed motorway systems, intelligent transport systems (ITS), shared user paths, and active transport links of the 10.5km T2D section, and 24/7 Roadside Assistance and Incident Response Services for a 26km section of the Corridor, inclusive of the T2D.    

The contract was awarded in September 2024 for the six-year D&C phase. The subsequent M&IR contract will be an initial term of 10 years, with two three-year options to extend. 

Ventia in partnership with Coengineer (VenCo), has been awarded the contract to design and install the Control Management System (CMS) for the T2D corridor.

The CMS is a mission-critical digital platform that will unify the operation of both tunnel plant systems and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), ensuring safe, efficient, and coordinated motorway operations. It will:

- Provide a single operator interface for real-time decision-making

- Enable swift incident response through automated workflows and alarms

- Maintain optimal environmental conditions and traffic flow

- Integrate seamlessly with Traffic Management Centres (TMCs) and emergency services

Importance to Safety and Operations:

The CMS serves as the central nervous system of the tunnel infrastructure. It orchestrates complex operations to ensure motorists experience:

- Safe transit under all conditions

- Minimal service interruptions

- Fast emergency intervention when required

By harmonising physical infrastructure with intelligent automation, VenCo’s CMS deployment will set the benchmark for digitally enabled motorway management in South Australia.

The CMS will interface with and control essential tunnel systems including:

- Tunnel ventilation (jet and axial fans)

- Hydraulic infrastructure (pumping stations, drainage control)

- Fire protection (deluge, detection)

- Voice communications (intercoms, emergency phones)

The CMS will centralize and automate control over all ITS elements across both surface roads and tunnel corridors, including:

- Variable Message Signs (VMS)

- Lane Use Management Systems (LUMS)

- Automatic Incident Detection (AID)

- CCTV surveillance

- Vehicle detection and classification

- Radio rebroadcast and public address systems

The CMS will serve as the digital backbone of the smart motorway, enabling real-time monitoring, automated incident response, and seamless integration with Traffic Management Centres (TMCs). This intelligent infrastructure will:

- Enhance road safety through proactive system control

- Reduce congestion and improve travel reliability

- Support emergency services with rapid response capabilities

- Maintain optimal environmental and traffic conditions

A Future-Ready Corridor

Ventia’s work on the T2D project reflects our commitment to delivering innovative, sustainable, and digitally enabled infrastructure. By integrating advanced control systems and smart motorway technologies, we are helping to shape the future of transport in South Australia—ensuring safer, smarter journeys for generations to come.

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