DPTI Matters - 21 June 2019

A word from the Chief Executive

Forward focus

A large commitment to invest in infrastructure in this week’s State Budget offers exciting opportunities for DPTI in the future.

Our job is to make sure these projects are planned and delivered on-time, on-budget and built to meet the needs of the customers and communities we serve.

The challenges this presents will enable us to apply, stretch and grow our professional skills and expertise; and will require us to work collaboratively amongst ourselves, with our key stakeholders and delivery partners.

The leadership team have already started planning on how to organise for success.  More information in future editions.

Delivering the goods

Further to the Budget release, one team within DPTI had a key role in making sure it was delivered in the most practical of ways.

The Web/Data/Print Team from Service SA have been working with Treasury & Parliament to produce printed versions of this year’s State Budget.

The task was to produce eight documents containing 1,160 pages, requiring a total of 4,000 published documents.

The team put in a big push to get the papers into lockup and published on the internet on Tuesday, ready for the Treasurer’s Budget speech.

Population projection

Planning and Land Use Services has hit another major milestone this week with the release of  the population projections for South Australia.

These projections are prepared every five years and they help the government and the community to understand how our state’s population is likely to change, numerically and geographically, in the future. This information is key to planning for growth and linking urban, transport and infrastructure planning.

DPTI has recently completed population projections for the period 2016-41, assisted by an across-government Joint Population Planning Committee (JPPC), which was formed in early 2019.

My congratulations to the research and analysis team, led by Chris Rudd, on delivery of this vital project.

To view the population projections, visit the SA Planning Portal.

Real-world view

It’s great to see our Infrastructure Planning and Investment Group, together with Customer, Community and Public Affairs, continuing DPTI’s support of the Civil Engineering Design Project course at the University of South Australia’s School of Natural and Built Environments.

Final-year civil engineering students were recently challenged to create their own engineering company to competitively plan, design and cost estimate a hypothetical project to grade separate the Glenelg tram corridor from both Marion and Cross Roads.

DPTI provided the design brief and attended client meetings, guiding future engineers to think about the way this infrastructure investment could improve the locality and meet the needs of customers on road, rail, cycling and walking, rather than just a focus on the technical aspects of the engineering.

Students presented their solution to a public meeting and competently answered questions presented to them.  Thanks to Mark Hennessy and Marisa Thayuman for their work in this area.

Civil engineering students with Mark Hennessy.

Reaching out

DPTI staff did a great job of reaching out to the community at an information session for the Flinders Link Project on Sunday.

The session was held at the site compound on the corner of Sturt Road and Laffer Drive, with a variety of project staff available to respond to questions around topics including design and alignment, construction methodology, traffic management, pedestrian/cycling access and environment and landscaping.

Events such as this, where we meet face to face with stakeholders, can help relieve concerns that members of the community may have developed through misinformation from any of a number of sources. They are also an opportunity for us to listen and understand how the public believe they will be affected and to take ownership, follow up and try to find a positive solution.

An attendee at the information session speaks with Project Manager Neil Welsh.

Outback Odyssey

Following recent items about DPTI staff reaching amazing physical goals, I keep hearing about more.

DPTI Community Engagement Officer Bernhard Sayer recently completed Bike SA’s Outback Odyssey, which saw 160 people complete a 900km ride from Adelaide to Blinman in the northern Flinders Ranges, along the iconic Mawson Trail across 13 days.

In the photo below Bernhard honours the Odyssey tradition of hoisting his bike in triumph after crossing the finish line. Well done, Bernhard.

Bernhard Sayer at the end of the ride.

Taking shape

With the new rail corridor now running through Oaklands station, finishing works are continuing throughout June and July.

Key works include traffic signal installation, pavement widening, stormwater management, kerbing and line marking, with new traffic signals to operate from mid-July. Landscaping works are also under way and will continue over the coming months.

This is a successful project which keeps adding value to the community, which is what we are about.

Part of the Oaklands Station site.

Safety Committee Framework

Following the release of the approved organisation structure, a review of the department’s safety committee framework was undertaken to ensure consultative arrangements for all departmental workers continue to be in a place.

The below Safety Committee Framework has been endorsed by the Executive Health, Safety and Environment Committee, and will strengthen the consultative processes already in place within the department with the inclusion of specific Divisional Safety Committees which will include representation from their directorates.

The framework will enable workers to meet on specific workgroup items and highlight strategic items to the Health, Safety and Environment Executive Safety Committee as the peak advisory committee providing the strategic direction on safety.

Friday Flashback

Today’s Friday Flashback shows trams at Hackney depot in 1909.

SLSA B 28640