The Bakewell Underpass opened to all road users and pedestrians on Sunday 13 January 2008.

The underpass provides for:

• two traffic lanes in each direction separated by a median
• on-road bicycle lanes (1.8 metres) on each side of the road
• a wide shared use path (3.15 metres wide) on the southern side at a higher level than the road. This path is designed to cater for pedestrians, people with a disability and recreational cyclists, and is connected to a network of paths around the area.
• Adelaide’s first dedicated 24/7 bus and taxi lane providing direct access to West Terrace via Glover Avenue.

Two bridges span the underpass carrying road traffic along James Congdon Drive and rail traffic on the TransAdelaide metropolitan tracks and the national Australian Rail Track Corporation freight track. Both bridges also cater for pedestrian and cyclist traffic. The gap between the two bridges allows light and fresh air into the underpass and, without a central supporting wall, there is one clear open span across the full underpass width. A pump station, at the lowest point of the underpass, disposes of stormwater.

What is left to complete?

The following works will be completed in March 2008

• minor drainage works on James Congdon Drive, and
• minor footpath and fencing works.

Landscaping installation will be completed around the middle of 2008

Landscaping

• Landscaping will be installed in autumn / winter when weather conditions are suitable for plant establishment.
• The landscaping scheme is being developed in partnership with the Adelaide City Council and the City of West Torrens.
• Landscaping will comprise a mix of open grassland and planter beds in the Park Lands and include more formalised street planting elsewhere.
• Species selection focuses on achieving a high quality visual outcome while meeting sustainability and water management principles.
• Species used in the landscape scheme include large shrubs such as Allocasuarina verticillata; Callitis gracilis, Bursaria spinosa, low shrubs and ground covers such as Hardebergia violacea, Myoporum parvifolium and medium shrubs and grasses such as Enchyleana tomentosa and Themeda australia
• Click here to the plant palate PDF 450 Kb