Road Network Investment

Ms COOK (Fisher) (14:46): My question is also to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. How is the state government continuing to invest into our road network across both regional South Australia and metropolitan Adelaide?

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (14:47): I thank the member for Fisher for her question. The state government continues to invest in our road network, both for our regional communities and with major and minor roadworks around metropolitan Adelaide. I am pleased to report to the parliament that the works at the intersection of Marion and Sturt roads, of particular interest to the member for Fisher and other MPs representing southern suburbs, have now been completed.

As the house would be aware, local company York Civil began the upgrade in November last year in preparation for the large $620 million Darlington project. These works are helping to improve capacity and reduce delays, particularly as major construction works for the upgrade begin.

One of five projects to improve traffic flow in advance of major north-south corridor works, the upgrade to this intersection amended the key turning lanes on the southern, eastern and western approaches to improve capacity and traffic flow. This completed project adds to the improvements already achieved at the Richmond Road and Ashwin Parade intersections of South Road, as well as the recently completed additional lane capacity to Park Terrace, Fitzroy Terrace and Torrens Road, as well as the duplication of James Congdon Drive.

In our regional communities as well, the state government continues to invest in the safety and efficiency of our road network for country drivers. I can announce today that sections of seven roads in the Riverland, Murray Mallee and Murray Bridge areas will be resealed to improve safety for regional drivers. Works have already begun on Ridley Road between Sanderson and Mannum.

Funded through various state government programs, including the periodic road maintenance and critical road maintenance programs, over 13 kilometres of resealing works will be undertaken on Mannum Road, Jervois Road, Mallee Highway, Berri to Loxton Road and the Goyder Highway. This investment of $765,000 will reduce the risk of crashes but also improve the quality of the roads for drivers, reducing the wear and tear that often so many country drivers can face.

In our northern regions, too, I am pleased to report that work is about to begin on the second stage of the Bute to Kulpara upgrade, an upgrade identified by the member for Frome. Following the first stage of works completed in November, the second stage involves the rehabilitation and resealing of approximately nine kilometres of road south of Bute. As the state government continues with this upgrade, benefits will be delivered not only to local motorists, but also to South Australian companies transporting goods through this section of road.

These projects are in addition to other projects in regional areas and communities throughout South Australia. They include the more than $100 million that the state government is investing with the commonwealth on the APY lands access road upgrade, the works that I previously reported to the house on RM Williams Way between Clare and Spalding, the $4 million improvement to the Copper Coast Highway between Kadina and Paskeville, and also the $20 million of what we call 'last mile' projects to improve productivity for the heavy vehicle industry, including B-double access to:

the Naracoorte Saleyards;

the Eudunda grain bunker and silos;

B-double and road train access to the Jamestown Saleyards; and

road train access to Port Wakefield Road.

We are also upgrading the Meadows to Willunga road—I think that's five kilometres between Meadows and Phillips Road; the Barossa Valley Way, including works within Tanunda; the Berri to Loxton road, between the lock and Mildura (a kilometre of works there) and Loxton to Pinnaroo—particularly 800 metres in the Loxton township.