500 local SA jobs to be supported through $100m worth of road upgrades

The first tranche of road safety upgrades – which is comprised of up to 15 projects – will soon ramp up across South Australia to help reduce road trauma and save South Australian lives. 

Works will commence immediately on the $100 million pipeline of safety improvements, which are due to be completed by June of this year. 

“This funding is part of our national $2 billion Road Safety Program and will deliver much-needed lifesaving upgrades including shoulder sealing, rumble strips, works to prevent head-on collisions and barriers to prevent run-off-road crashes. 

“The Federal Liberal and Nationals Government will always do everything we can to ensure all South Australians make it home sooner and safer at the end of every road trip, no matter where they live,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said. 

Not only will these projects improve road safety and save lives across the State, they will also create jobs for South Australians. 

“Getting work underway on these projects now means we are delivering safer roads and supporting around 500 local jobs through economic stimulus at a time it is needed most. 

“My Government is pleased to be partnering with the Australian Government to get this more than $100 million in funding out the door to improve the safety of our road network and reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries occurring on our roads,” Premier Steven Marshall said. 

The 15 road safety projects included in the first tranche are: 

• Riddoch Highway – Keith to Mount Gambier (Estimated total project cost: $3 million) 
• Ngarkat Highway – Pinaroo to Bordertown (Estimated total project cost: $9 million) 
• Karoonda Highway – Veitch to Boundary Road (Estimated total project cost: $500,000) 
• Riddoch Highway – Keith to Mount Gambier (Estimated total project cost: $1.54 million) 
• Eyre Highway – Head of Bight to Ceduna (Estimated total project cost: $9.1 million) 
• Augusta Highway – Collinsfield to Red Hill (Estimated total project cost: $7.5 million) 
• Barrier Highway – Burra to Cockburn (Estimated total project cost: $18 million) 
• Stuart Highway – Pimba and North of Coober Pedy (Estimated total project cost: $17.6 million) 
• Upper Yorke Road – Maitland to Aurthurton (Estimated total project cost: $6 million) 
• Tod Highway – Kyancutta to Lock (Estimated total project cost: $4 million) 
• Birdseye Highway – Lock to Rudall (Estimated total project cost: $4 million) 
• Minlaton Road – Minlaton to Stansbury (Estimated total project cost: $3 million) 
• Playford Highway – Bark Hut Road to Kingscote Airport (Estimated total project cost: $1 million) 
• Pages Flat Road – Willunga to Myponga (Estimated total project cost: $500,000) 
• Horrock Highway – Wilmington to Templars (Estimated total project cost: $19.9 million) 

The significant investment on road safety upgrades are subject to ‘use it or lose it’ provisions, which require states and territories to use the allocated funding within a timeframe or the funds will be reallocated to projects in other jurisdictions. 

The Australian Government has committed approximately $83.7 million towards the first tranche of works, while the South Australian Government has committed $20.9 million. 

Source: Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development; Premier of South Australia – Media Releases