Approximately $13.75 million has been invested in a package of works that will upgrade a number of vital regional roads in South Australia.
Works under the South Australia Regional Roads Package will include overtaking lanes on the Augusta, Lincoln and Eyre Highways as well as widening works on the Rocky River Bridge and shoulder sealing on the Sturt Highway.
“These upgrades will have immense safety and efficiency benefits, with the growth in freight traffic on the Augusta, Eyre and Lincoln Highways leading to the need for more safe overtaking opportunities between Port Augusta and Whyalla.
“The overtaking lanes projects are expected to reduce crashes by some 25 per cent and shoulder sealing works are expected to reduce run-off-road accidents by some 40 per cent,” Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said.
According to South Australian Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Stephen Mullighan, the State Government has invested in regional roads to help improve safety and reduce freight costs.
“Shoulder sealing on the Sturt Highway will complement works being undertaken under the National Highway Upgrade Program aimed at enabling the future introduction of more efficient higher mass limits vehicles such as B triples.
“Widening the Rocky River Bridge on the Augusta Highway will also help cater for the growth in freight movement by better supporting heavy freight vehicles, while shoulder sealing on Sturt Highway will address the highway’s poor crash record between Nuriootpa and the Victorian border,” Mr Mullighan said.
Construction on the project is expected to commence in November 2017 and completed by mid-2018.
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