Adelaide motorists have started to travel on the newly constructed Torrens Road Bridge as work on the Ovingham Level Crossing Removal Project continues to surge ahead.

Traffic was switched onto the new bridge for the first time this week, allowing motorists to drive up and over the train line, as part of the $196 million project jointly funded by the South Australian and Australian governments.

The overpass will remove the need for traffic to stop to allow for passing trains, reducing travels times and congestion for motorists.

The new overpass will also improve public transport usage to north-western Adelaide, as buses will no longer need to stop at the boom-gates. This will cut travel times and increasing reliability and safety.

Road users and the community have seen the progression of the bridge construction over recent months, as sixteen South Australian built, 100-tonne girders were craned into place. Once construction is complete, the area beneath the bridge will be developed into open space for community use.

The Ovingham Level Crossing Removal Project is due to be complete in 2023, supporting 265 full time jobs during construction.

Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the opening of the bridge meant traffic could flow smoothly through this busy intersection, up and over the tracks without having to stop and wait for any passing trains.

“An average of 21,300 vehicles passed through the level crossing every day, and up until recently the closed boom gates at Torrens Road stopped traffic flow for around 22 per cent of the time during the combined morning and evening peak periods,” he said.