Federal Government tips in funds for $90 million Port Wakefield overpass and road duplication
ONE of South Australia’s most notorious stretches of road is set for a $90 million overhaul after the Federal Government agreed to tip in funding for an overpass across the Copper Coast and Augusta highways.
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- SA Budget 2018: These roads must be funded, RAA say
ONE of South Australia’s most notorious stretches of road is set for a $90 million overhaul.
It’s a significantly different project to the one promised by the Liberal Party during the state election campaign, when it promised $12 million towards a $24 million project to build a single-lane overpass across the Copper Coast and Augusta highways.
Under a partnership with Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, Port Wakefield Road will also be duplicated, with the Federal Government meeting 80 per cent of the total cost.
State Transport Minister Stephan Knoll confirmed the $18 million in state funds would be included in next week’s State Budget.
It is expected to be completed by 2022.
Mr McCormack said the $72 million of federal funding would create an important link between Adelaide and tourist and agricultural areas.
The intersection has been a consistent pain for holiday makers escaping Adelaide for the Mid North and Yorke and Eyre peninsulas, as well as a site of regular vehicle accidents.
Wakefield Mayor Rodney Reid hailed the duplication as “really important” for the town.
“It will continue to inject life into the town through the services alongside it,” he said.
John Kipling — who built Kiplings Bakery on Port Wakefield Rd in 1992 — said the duplication was excellent news.
“If they’d bypassed the town there would be nothing open between Adelaide and Port Augusta,” he said.
“People need a place to pull in, stop and refresh.”
Mr Kipling said up to 400 families gathered income off the traffic who flowed through Port Wakefield.
“If you took the highway away, it would be a ghost town,” he said.
Mr Knoll said high volumes of traffic had long been an issue in the Port Wakefield area, and for the Yorke Peninsula at large.
“This project would reduce congestion, cut travel times, improve route reliability and boost safety around the Augusta and Copper Coast highways intersection,” he said on Thursday.
Mr Knoll said it was the “next piece of the pipe in the pipeline” of infrastructure projects, after Labor had warned about a “valley of death” for the state’s construction industry if more infrastructure projects were not announced.
In March last year, the State Government awarded a $40 million contract to complete a series of works including a $4 million roundabout at the Yorke and Copper Coast highways junction, overtaking lanes near Ardrossan, shoulder sealings and other improvements in the region.
Previously, the Liberals said the notorious intersection is used by about 3000 vehicles per day but that number soared to as many as 10,000 during peak times like long weekends.