$250 million Hahndorf traffic project expected to break ground late 2022
Hahndorf has been targeted for a major upgrade in Tuesday’s Budget. But while we have a price tag, what’s actually getting built remains to be seen.
SA News
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The centrepiece of the Federal Government’s $625m infrastructure splurge in South Australia is not expected to break ground until late 2022.
As part of its Federal Budget announcements, the Government says it will inject $200 million into traffic and safety improvements in Hahndorf.
It says the State Government, which will oversee the project, will cough up the remaining $50 million for the project.
It is unclear exactly what the upgrade will include or how the Federal Government determined the price tag for it.
The upgrade will be based on the outcome of a traffic study that is currently underway into congestion, connectivity, freight efficiency and safety issues in and around Hahndorf.
The study is due to be completed and handed to the State Government for consideration later this year but initial construction work is not earmarked to begin until after the next Federal Election.
“Once a design has been chosen, land acquisition and service works will commence in late 2022,” a spokeswoman for State Transport Minister Corey Wingard said.
A spokeswoman for Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the Federal Government committed $1 million towards the study and the Budget announcement built on this investment.
“Project details such as designs and construction timeframes will be determined as soon as possible in conjunction with the South Australian Government as part of the usual planning and pre-construction processes,” she said.
However, Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie said $15 million of the funding would go towards a full-functioning, two-way interchange for which she had been advocating.
“The current interchange only travels in one direction which means trucks and cars travelling through the Adelaide Hills heading towards Murray Bridge need to weave through Hahndorf or Littlehampton in order to gain access to the Freeway,” she said.
“Similarly, without a freeway exit at Verdun, we are missing out on visitors to the Adelaide Hills.”
Mount Barker Mayor Ann Ferguson said she hoped the project would divert trucks away from Hahndorf’s narrow main street.
“It’s something that we’ve been waiting for for many many years,” she said.
“It will be a dream come true.”
Zac Bratis, 31, of Pooraka, regularly visits Hahndorf with his family and said he hoped the project would include pedestrians crossings and a car park a street or so back from the main thoroughfare.
“It would just make life easier knowing you can get in and get out,” he said.
But Deputy Opposition Leader Susan Close said the announcement of a $625 million cash splash must be treated with heavy scepticism, saying many projects listed were not new and previous budget announcements had never eventuated.
“South Australia has been used to receiving around $500 million a year, every year from Canberra, that’s dropped off dramatically (so) to suggest that $600 million over four years, even if it’s new money, even if it’s real, is enough is just wrong,” she said.
Mr Wingard hit back, saying “Labor just needs to keep their mouths shut”.
As part of the $625 million spend, funding parcels of $136 million have been set aside for the duplication of Main South Rd, between Aldinga and Sellicks Beach, and overtaking lands and rest stops for the Princes Highway.
The long-awaited sealing of the Strzelecki Track in the state’s Far North will receive $100 million and the Goodwood and Torrens rail junction projects will get a $13.2 million boost.