NT road projects get $480 million from federal budget 2024-25

The federal budget was dominated by big ticket issues, but the Territory’s road networks have been singled out for a special slice of the funding pie. Find out where improvements will be made near you.

Fifteen billion dollars has been doled out by the federal government for major national road works, and the Territory is set to get a slice of the pie.

Money for NT roads in Jim Chalmers’ federal budget, handed down on Tuesday, included $193m for road duplications and maintaining bitumen in Darwin and Palmerston.

The total spend for roads across the Territory is $480m.

Of that pool, $64m will go to duplicating Berrimah Rd between the Stuart Highway and Tiger Brennan Drive, while $20m will do the same for Roystonea Ave between Terry Drive and Lambrick Ave.

The Stuart Highway will also undergo pavement strengthening, widening, resealing and surface correction, to the tune of $40m.

Two million dollars has been allocated to develop a business case for works to the Weddell Freeway to improve community connectivity and access to services.

A further $2m will be spent to develop a business case to improve access to Darwin Port through the Stuart Highway, Vanderlin Drive and McMillans Rd.

The big ticket items in the federal budget were energy bill relief, medicine costs and tax cuts – but new road projects across Australia will be funded to the tune of $4.6 billion in new money and $10.1 billion on projects already underway.

Solomon MP Luke Gosling (right) with Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy. Picture: Fia Walsh.

The federal budget also brought the total five-year investment in Roads to Recovery funding for Darwin and Palmerston to $69m.

Solomon MP Luke Gosling said the funding showed the Albanese government acknowledged the importance of road networks to the Territory’s economy.

“The Northern Territory’s road infrastructure network supports the lifeblood of our communities, particularly across rural and remote areas, and is critical to our regions socio-economic sustainability,” Mr Gosling said.

“Our roads play a vital role in our nation’s complex freight supply chain systems, with our Australian Defence Forces also relying on critical civil infrastructure capabilities to service military bases and support national security and strategic posture in northern Australia.

“From Tiger Brennan Drive and down the Stuart Highway, the Albanese Labor government is ensuring our region has the funding it needs and deserves to improve roads infrastructure, the importance of which cannot be understated, especially for enhancing and saving the lives of Territorians.”

Automobile Association of NT chief executive Simon Matthias said the works “will improve safety and reduce travel times for Territorians”.

“Berrimah Rd is an important link in the NT’s logistics supply chain because it connects Darwin to the Stuart Highway, and we think duplicating that road will meet future growth while reducing congestion,” Mr Matthias said.

AANT chief executive Simon Matthias with president Trevor Cox. Picture: Camden Smith

He particularly welcomed a $21 million boost for the Road National Safety Data Hub, which will enable the collection and disclosure of more specific road safety data.

“All of the state and territory automobile associations are really supportive and pushing this at the local level,” he said.

“We need a large consistent data set that’s going to inform investment in road infrastructure, and lead to evidence-based decisions rather the political ones.”