By Jeremy Rochow
Last updated on: December 21, 2018 at 9:33 am
More than 2000 impatient motorists have been caught illegally crossing one of the state’s most congested level crossings.
The Cormack Rd level crossing in Dry Creek raked in $885,000 in traffic fines between 2013 and 2017, topping the list of Adelaide’s most notorious locations for drivers crossing railway tracks while warning lights and bells were operating.
RAA Traffic Engineer Matthew Vertudaches said motorists needed to be patient when trains were moving through level crossings.
“The interstate rail network, which runs through metropolitan Adelaide, passes through the Cormack Rd level crossing,” Mr Vertudaches said.
“This means passenger trains, as well as freight trains, run through intersection and can take a while to pass.
“While congestion is a problem due to the length of some of these trains, motorists need to remain patient, and wait for the warning lights to stop flashing before they cross the tracks.”
The Cormack Rd intersection is 1 of 5 major level crossings on arterial roads across metropolitan Adelaide that the interstate rail networks pass through.
Each day 115,000 vehicles enter these 5 level crossings, with Kings Rd in Salisbury and Cross Rd in Kings Park being the busiest.
Level crossings at Torrens Rd in Renown Park and Park Tce in Salisbury round out the 5 locations that see trains on the interstate rail network.
At 8am, drivers will travel at an average speed of 18km/h when driving the 500m stretch from Goodwood Rd east along Cross Rd, approaching the Kings Park level crossing.
While it can be frustrating, Mr Vertudaches said slow-moving traffic was never an excuse for crossing the tracks illegally.
“Motorists should come to a complete stop when the lights have started flashing, and not proceed until they have ceased,” Mr Vertudaches said.
Are level crossings crash hotspots?
While level crossings might not play a direct role in crashes, according to RAA statistics 257 occurred in and around the intersections between 2013 and 2017, including 94 that caused casualties.
Crashes near level crossings 2013-2017
Of these 5 major level crossings that intersect with the interstate rail network, Cormack Rd saw the most crashes with 11, followed by Kings Rd with 10.
Rear-end crashes were the most prominent with them accounting for more than half the incidents near level crossings.