Millions set aside to fix intersection of Stebonheath Rd and Womma Rd at Penfield
Northern residents have won a lengthy campaign to have a notorious intersection upgraded — at the cost of almost $4 million.
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A roundabout will be installed at a notorious northern intersection at the cost of almost $4 million.
Transport Minister Stephan Knoll has confirmed $3.85 million will be provided in black spot funding to upgrade the junction of Stebonheath Rd and Womma Rd at Penfield.
Residents have been campaigning for several years for action to fix the intersection, with more than 5000 people signing an online petition.
There also has been lobbying for another intersection at Curtis Rd and Heaslip Rd, Angle Vale, to be upgraded to cope with increased traffic caused by residential development.
However, Mr Knoll has written to federal Labor MP Nick Champion saying the intersection at Penfield had been identified as the priority.
“The funding of $3.855 million will include the installation of a roundabout and additional lighting,” he said.
“Whilst I understand the intersection of Curtis Road and Heaslip Road is important to you, the Womma Road and Stebonheath Road project was assessed as a higher risk and therefore will provide the greatest benefit to the community.”
Mr Knoll said he had asked for a Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) officer to meet with Playford councillor Clint Marsh at the Curtis Rd and Heaslip Rd intersection.
Cr Marsh and two other ward councillors, Peter Rentoulis and Cathy Jo-Tame, have been part of the community campaign to have intersections near Angle Vale, Munno Para and Penfield upgraded as the area’s population swells.
The trio also have been calling for Curtis Rd, which connects Munno Para to the Northern Expressway, to be widened to double lane.
Playford Council, which owns the road under a public infrastructure deed, has approached DPTI to take responsibility by reclassifying it as a major arterial road.
Mr Knoll told Mr Champion available funding under the infrastructure deed “is currently being prioritised towards other locations to support urban growth in the area”.
In a statement to The Advertiser, he said the upgrade at the intersection of Womma Rd and Stebonheath Rd would help ease traffic congestion.
“The installation of a roundabout and additional lighting will improve visibility through the intersection and overall safety for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians,” said Mr Knoll.
“This upgrade will also help facilitate traffic as a result of the Drakes distribution centre.”
Playford Mayor Glenn Docherty said the council and residents had lobbied hard “for many years” for the upgrade of the intersection.
“We welcome the correspondence from Minister Knoll and the State Government indicating that the plan to fix this traffic issue is being brought forward,” he said.
“It is great to see the State Government co-operating with council and the community to build congestion-busting infrastructure in Playford.”
Mr Docherty said he hoped to “see more of this commonsense approach to future funding for urban growth in our community”.
Cr Rentoulis said he was “so excited” for residents who had lobbied for the intersection, who now expected DPTI “to get on with the job of fixing the roundabout”.
“They have worked so hard for this by getting involved in the online petition, by writing to the local MPs and to the Minister and by refusing to give up.” he said.
“This has been a community effort. It really is an example of what people can achieve when they come together to fight as one.”
Meanwhile, Playford Council also has received $700,000 in government funding to upgrade two other intersections at Anderson Rd and Coventry Rd, Smithfield Plains, and Uleybury Rd and One Tree Hill Rd, Uleybury.