Government reveals $60m overpass plan to fix Darwin’s dangerous Tiger Brennan Drive/Berrimah Road intersection

THE Gunner government is starting preparatory work around a $60m overpass at one of Darwin’s most dangerous intersections.

THE Gunner government is starting preparatory work around a $60m overpass at one of Darwin’s most dangerous intersections.

Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics Minister Eva Lawler said early works for the Tiger Brennan Drive/Berrimah Road intersection would entail planning and design – including clearing and undertaking geotechnical works to design the approach embankments, along with a traffic management study.

“Once these works are complete the final cost of the project will be identified,” Ms Lawler said.

“However, at this stage the project is set to cost $60m, which will create much-needed jobs for Territorians.

“This project is being jointly delivered in partnership with the federal government.

“Close to 20,000 Territorians use Tiger Brennan each day.

“This is an investment into road safety and making sure everyone returns home safely.”

The Tiger Brennan Drive/Berrimah Road intersection. Picture: Glenn Campbell

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Ms Lawler said the busy intersection was still a major concern for the government.

In January, the government lowered the speed limit at the fatal-crash hot spot.

“Over the past year with red-light cameras there we have seen about 11,000 fines given out for people who continue to speed through that intersection,” she said.

“This is a risk for Territorians when you talk about road safety.”

Ms Lawler said some of the road-safety funding announced by the federal government last week would be going into early design work for the overpass.

Preparatory works will start immediately, with a design consultancy tender to be released to the market in the coming months.

The federal government has allocated $33.3m to the NT under the first tranche of its $2bn Road Safety Program.

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In May 2019, Andrea Groening crashed into another vehicle at the intersection, killing her six-year-old son and 21-year-old Wade Williams.

Groening, who was 25 when sentenced, was jailed for 12 months after pleading guilty to two counts of dangerous driving causing death and one count of dangerous driving causing harm.