Adelaide tram extension to reach Norwood by late 2027 after council vote

Adelaide's inner-eastern suburbs will be connected to the CBD tram network for the first time after the state government confirmed a $340 million funding commitment for the Norwood extension. Construction is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of next year, with services expected to operate by late 2027.

The 4.2-kilometre extension will branch from the existing Glenelg-to-Entertainment-Quarter corridor at Victoria Square, running along Grenfell Street and The Parade to a new terminus at Norwood Parade. Ten new stops are planned, with park-and-ride facilities at the eastern terminus to capture commuters from the Kensington and Evandale catchments.

Transport Minister David Speirs said the extension was the single largest investment in Adelaide's light rail network since the Glenelg line opened in 1929. "This connects an economic corridor that generates more than $1.4 billion in retail and hospitality activity every year," he said.

The Norwood Payneham and St Peters council backed the project at a special meeting on Tuesday, agreeing to contribute $18 million toward streetscape improvements along the route. Mayor Garry Goldsmith said the decision followed a petition of more than 12,000 signatures from local residents.

Urban planners expect the extension to catalyse significant development activity along The Parade, with at least three mixed-use proposals already lodged with the state's planning authority targeting transit-oriented density.

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