Paech Road in Mount Barker set for $4.3m upgrade, including new intersections, lighting and bike lanes
A $4.3m upgrade is planned for a dodgy major road in Mount Barker that locals have complained about for years as housing around it swells. See the plans here.
Adelaide Hills & Murraylands
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Mount Barker residents have been complaining for years about a rundown major road on the town’s outskirts – and now a full proposed upgrade can be revealed.
A large part of Paech Road, which connects Wellington Road and Sims Road and is nearing the end of its useful life, would be completely repaved, the speed limit cut and bike lanes installed under a $4.3m project.
Additionally, the road is more suitable to rural housing – but has seven current and future development sites, with a school planned for at the northern end near Heysen Boulevard.
The councils says it’s received complaints about the road’s condition and that overgrown vegetation along the road and a lack of lighting is creating potential safety issues.
The extensive upgrades include a new road surface north of Potts Road and removal of overgrown vegetation – although no trees are planned to be removed.
It will spend about $95,000 this financial year and at least $4.3m on the project overall, although council documents note risks it will increase.
Included are walking and cycling lanes, upgrades to new intersections to connect new land developments, lighting at intersections and pedestrian/cyclist crossings and improved stormwater drains.
The council is proposing a speed limit of 60km/h between Sims Road and Potts Road and a specialised works at the Heysen Boulevard/Paech Road intersection to suit the difficult and steep terrain on the western side.
It said the road currently is better suits to a rural road with minimal house frontages, but that is changing as Mount Barker housing developments grow.
“Significant land development has been occurring in recent years on both sides of Paech road, council’s general manager infrastructure Phil Burton said.
“The section of Paech Road north of Potts Road to Sims Road will, over time, take a more urban form and will likely incorporate new road junctions with a reduction in speed limit.
“Design for the renewal and upgrade to this important link road to cater for the growth in Mount Barker is underway.”
All healthy vegetation and trees will be kept, and just one dead tree will be removed.
New bus stops are being considered by the Transport Department.
The council is not considering kerbside parking but is seeking community ideas on where pedestrian walking trails and crossings will go, and proposed intersection treatments
The project also includes an upgrades intersection at Paech Rd/Sims Rd and Sims Rd/Hartmann Rd, and treatment options at Potts Road/Yunkunga Road intersection.
It began upgrading the road around the intersection of Sims and Paech roads in March 2023 and is now opening the rest of the proposed upgrades to community consultation.
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