Regional roads identified for key safety upgrades

Thursday, 12 September 2024

Important regional highways and roads have been identified to receive critical upgrades as part of the South Australian Government’s commitment to reduce the risk of fatal and serious injuries and increase road safety.

The State Government has allocated $10 million over four years (2024-2027) to undertake regional road safety treatments including shoulder sealing, Audio Tactile Line Marking (ATLM), safety barriers and rural junction activated warning system signage.

The highways and roads to receive upgrades are:
·       Southern Ports Highway and Southend Access Road junction
·       Spencer Highway (Wallaroo to Moonta)
·       Flinders Highway (south of Wangary to the junction at Western Approach Road)
·       Goolwa Road (Mount Compass to Goolwa)
·       Gorge Road (Amber Gully to Corkscrew Road)

The junction at Southern Ports Highway and Southend Access Road will be upgraded to include a left turning lane at the cost of $400,000, which will improve safety and accessibility.

Sections of the Spencer Highway between Wallaroo and Moonta will receive shoulder sealing and ATLM. Construction is expected to start in early 2025. This section of highway recorded three crashes from 2019 to 2023.

Shoulder sealing, safety barrier installation and ATLM will be undertaken on sections of the Flinders Highway from Wangary to the junction at Western Approach Road. Four crashes were recorded along this section of highway from 2019 to 2023.

Safety barriers and ATLM will be installed along sections of Goolwa Road from Mount Compass to Goolwa. There were 11 recorded crashes along this section of road from 2019 to 2023.

Safety barriers will also be installed along Gorge Road from Amber Gully to Corkscrew Road, where there were 10 recorded crashes from 2019 to 2023.

A review of regional intersections will also be undertaken to consider installation of rural junction active warning systems. These systems involve installing electronic variable speed limit signs at approaches to intersections, which are radar triggered by the presence of side road traffic, slowing traffic for a short section of road and reducing the likelihood of crashes.

This $10 million investment forms part of the State Government’s $98 million road safety package – one of three being delivered under a combined $346.1 million investment in partnership with the Commonwealth Government – and the South Australian Road Safety Action Plan 2024-26.