Connect - 7 May 2021

Applause for upgrade

We have received very positive feedback regarding the “superb” South Eastern Freeway upgrade.

The feedback not only commented on the quality of the new road surface but also referenced receiving an explanation of the need for speed limits on seemingly completed sections of road. The speed limit mail out undertaken by the Community Engagement team, along with roadside messaging, informed people about new road surfaces needing to ‘settle’ for four to six weeks, before speed restrictions can be lifted. This information was understood and greatly appreciated.

Welcome to graduates

I’m pleased to welcome 16 new graduates who joined the Department this week through our graduate program.

They come from a range of disciplines, including engineering, project management, transport planning and analytics, human resources, law, finance and policy. All are keen to make valuable contributions working across various sections of the Department at locations from Adelaide CBD offices to Port Augusta and the Traffic Management Centre at Norwood.

This, coincidentally, is SA Youth Week, which is running with the theme: Our Voice – Our Future so a very relevant time for them to start their careers with DIT. I’m sure you will make your new colleagues welcome.

Six CBD based graduates, clockwise from front: Siew Horng Wong; Justine Lacasandile; Luka Kekez; Jesse Beckinsale; Jake Premrl and Matt Boughey.

Making SA safer

Our department continuously works to improve safety for South Australians, whether it’s the roads and infrastructure we build and upgrade, legislation and regulation drafted for road and marine environments, or the associated compliance, investigative and prosecution work our people undertake.

An example of the latter was the recent conviction of a ski boat driver who injured a young girl swimming in a lifejacket with some friends. Fortunately she was not seriously hurt. Marine Safety Officers Ian Hunter and Dean Holloway completed a thorough investigation which resulted in a guilty plea from the driver, who received a significant fine.

The teamwork displayed in this case, which included SAPOL attendance at the incident, demonstrates the breadth of our role in pursuing a safe environment for all South Australians.

Sporting a good look

Whether it’s the Power or the Crows for the Showdown, something we can all agree on is the road safety message supported by our THINK! Road Safety Partnerships program. The program enables us to have players from both teams as Road Safety Ambassadors, LED signage, TV and big screen advertising, posters and other messaging at Adelaide Oval, as well as the Footy Express public transport services.

I was very pleased to see Road Safety ambassadors Darcy Byrne-Jones and Jake Kelly holding a THINK! Road Safety branded football accompanying a road safety story on the front page of Tuesday’s Advertiser, as part of the Showdown build-up. Endorsements such as this are valuable and  effective. This was a great result, whatever the game’s outcome.

Pic on screen provided by the Advertiser.

Interchange murals

Our Rail Care program continues to build its portfolio of artworks across the rail network, with four new murals being completed at the Noarlunga Interchange.

Rail Care’s co-ordination and support of local artists is making a real difference by brightening and adding interest at tram stops, train stations and large bus/train interchanges.

Three murals are shown in the picture below; James Smith’s black cockatoo and Thom Buchanan’s streetscape with Sarah Bose’s fantasy underwater scene in the background. Thomas Readett’s very cute and realistic dog faces unfortunately couldn’t be captured in this shot.

Rail Care Program Manager Roger Agius is doing an excellent job of co-ordinating artists across the network, with more new murals being finished at Paradise and Seaford.

Friday Flashback

Today’s Friday Flashback, taken in 1941, shows the old and “new “book stalls at the corner of Gouger and King William Streets. The old stall is the one covered by newspaper posters. We’re not sure where the gain in the new stall was but it clearly was considered a win in its day.

SLSA B 10517