The Transport Department is embarking on a $35 million upgrade of the intersection of Glen Osmond and Fullarton roads, with a spokesperson telling InDaily two commercial properties are expected to be fully acquired, while up to another 18 will have “partial acquisitions”.

The department said it had “already begun discussions with property owners who will be impacted by property acquisition” but details – including the businesses affected – were confidential.

A spokesperson for Commercial Retail Group, which owns Frewville Foodland, said: “As a major business and employer in the precinct, the Commercial Retail Group is currently in discussions with the State Government about the planned Glen Osmond Road widening and expect these discussion to continue over the coming months.”

The Parkside Hotel declined to comment, saying only “at this stage we are chatting about it with the Government”.

Sam McInnes, general manager of the Hurley Hotel Group, which owns the Arkaba Hotel and Arkaba Village Shopping Centre, has confirmed a small piece of land in front of the bottle shop on Fullarton Road will be acquired to make way for the road upgrade, which was announced almost two years ago.

“We are losing a small splinter of land along Fullarton Road so the impact on us is pretty negligible,” he told InDaily.

“It’s only about a foot wide, just shaving off a bit.”

McInnes said “the only real concern will be when the works are happening”, in terms of entry and egress and during night works for hotel accommodation guests.

InDaily asked the department which properties would need to be acquired and a spokesperson said: “All dealings relating to compulsory acquisition are confidential.”

The spokesperson said project design work would continue “in the coming months”.

“The Department will continue to engage with residents, landowners, business owners, Council and other stakeholders throughout the early design and delivery phases of the intersection upgrade,” the spokesperson said.

“This feedback is important and will help inform the development of the design.

“Project planning and early design has taken into account the significant impacts that property acquisition can have on the community.

“Acquisition of property and businesses has been minimised in the proposed concept design wherever possible.”

Intersection of Fullarton and Glen Osmond roads. Photo: Tony Lewis/InDaily

Philip Huestis, business manager of the Arkaba Medical Centre, said he did not expect the centre would be affected by land acquisition but he anticipated an impact during the construction phase.

“We are just going through the consultation with the department now,” he said.

“We understand they need a road upgrade, we just want to make sure our patients are not disadvantaged by any of it.

“There could be some traffic impact but we are just going through the plans.”

Eldercare’s head office is on Fullarton Road at the intersection.

The organisation’s property executive Christopher O’Grady said: “Eldercare is currently still in discussions with (the department) regarding the partial acquisition of land for the Fullarton Road/Glen Osmond Road upgrade.”

The department’s website says 58,000 vehicles pass through the intersection each day and it experiences “heavy congestion, with competing traffic movements and network constraints leading to increased travel times and risks to safety”.

There were 40 crashes at the intersection between 2015 and 2019.

The department said “early works” including ground investigations are expected to start in the next few months and major construction later in the year.

The project is due to be completed by mid next year.

The department has released a concept design which is open for public consultation until February 28.

It includes:

• Widening on Fullarton Road to provide an additional (third) dedicated through traffic lane on each side of Fullarton Road through the intersection
• Widening on Glen Osmond Road to provide an additional (second) dedicated right turn lane from Glen Osmond Road onto Fullarton Road for traffic travelling northbound, and a longer right turn lane on Glen Osmond Road for traffic turning onto Fullarton Road to travel southbound
• Relocating and indenting Bus Stop 5 on Glen Osmond Road east of the intersection
• Removal of the right turn lanes on Fullarton Road travelling into Glen Osmond Road (right turn movements to be prohibited at all times)
• A sheltered right turn lane will be provided on Fullarton Road at the junction with Campbell Road. This will provide an alternate route for vehicles travelling south along Fullarton Road wanting to access the Arkaba Medical Centre via Campbell Road and Collins Street
• Installation of a pedestrian refuge on Fullarton Road between Gladstone Street and Campbell Road
• Realignment of Main Avenue to relocate the junction at Glen Osmond Road approximately 35 to 40 metres south-east from its current location, which will incorporate a sheltered lane for vehicles turning right from Glen Osmond Road