Adelaide councils multi-million dollar infrastructure splurge — see what’s being built and upgraded in your area

Roads, paths, parks, playgrounds and community facilities are being upgraded around Adelaide as councils spend hundreds of millions of dollars on more than 2600 projects. EXPLORE THE DATABASE.

Joel and Elise enjoying the new playground at Weigall Oval in Plympton, which was completed in late 2018. Picture: Morgan Sette/AAP

• Adelaide’s biggest roadworks projects for the next two years
• How to get your money’s worth with an Advertiser subscription

Adelaide councils will embark on infrastructure spending of hundreds of millions of dollars as they upgrade, repair and modernise roads, footpaths, parks, bus shelters, halls and libraries over the next 12 months.

The Advertiser has produced a searchable online database so you can find the Adelaide works to be carried out this financial year in your neighbourhood, locating 2658 projects listed for repairs or upgrading.

LGA President and Tumby Bay Mayor Sam Telfer said councils each year spend hundreds of millions of dollars to maintain billions of dollars in ratepayer assets.

“South Australian councils manage around $24 billion in public assets, and spend hundreds of millions each year maintaining and improving the roads, parks, footpaths and playgrounds South Australians use every day,” he said.

The largest component of the spending is on transport and recreation infrastructure which eats up around 37 per cent of council budgets.

“Community support”, such as libraries and street lighting, is the next most costly undertaking, which requires 25 per cent of the citywide budget.

And environmental initiatives including waste management, coastal protection and stormwater management make up 21 per cent.

Each council must every year put to the community a list of works for feedback in Annual Business Plans, with final drafts being approved over the last month.

Communities can also nominate works they argue need to be done.

Adelaide residents using The Advertiser’s online search will be able to identify 814 road projects, 164 parks and green space upgrades, 79 bus shelter repairs, 21 bridge repairs, 129 building upgrades and 46 drainage works.

Dodgy footpaths are the second most common problem requiring repair and replacement with 323 projects scheduled, while 163 other paths need work and 143 kerb renewal projects are also needed.

Twenty-two playgrounds are also set for an upgrade.

Hayley, Coby and Jack at Taperoo’s Roy Marten Park playground, which was given a $6 million upgrade in 2018. Picture: Roy Van Der Vegt

Mr Telfer said in the last 15 years councils had been challenged to not just improve their assets but become more financially viable.

He said in 2007/08 all South Australia councils spent $238,840,000 on capital works but by 2017/18 this had risen to $434,987,000.

“In 2005, an independent inquiry into the financial sustainability of local government found most councils weren’t investing enough in the renewal and replacement of their local infrastructure,’’ Mr Telfer said.

“Since then, councils have significantly increased their spending on infrastructure to ensure that their roads, bridges, footpaths and stormwater networks aren’t left to future generations to fix.

“They’ve also adopted long-term financial plans and asset management plans to make sure they are spending enough today to avoid serious problems in the future.

“As a result, much of our local infrastructure is in better shape now than it was a decade ago, and SA councils are more financially sustainable.”

Funding for the projects comes from a range of sources, with rates making up only 59 per cent of council revenue.

Adelaide City Council has the largest capital works budget, $40.6 million, because of the huge numbers of people who work and visit the CBD each day, but the city’s large suburban councils also have a large repair and maintenance bill, and Unley Council was forced to spend most of its 2019/20 capital works budget ($15.5 million) on the resurfacing of King William Rd.

Timelines for the projects will vary, depending on weather and other factors, and some may be carried over into next financial year. In 2017/18 84 per cent, or more than eight in every 10 projects, were delivered within the year.