Majors Road Interchange Upgrade

The Hon. T.T. NGO (14:54): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Can the minister tell the council about the recent opening of the Majors Road interchange upgrade?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Autism) (14:54): I thank the honourable member for his question and interest in this exciting new upgrade in the south that will provide safer, faster and better connections for the community. The Malinauskas Labor government has delivered yet another election commitment with this $120 million project delivered early, on budget and by South Australians.

As many in this chamber would know, Majors Road is an important arterial route seeing around 13,200 vehicles daily and is likely to see an increase to about 14,700 during peak times by 2036. The Southern Expressway serves as the gateway to the Fleurieu Peninsula, carrying approximately 74,000 vehicles per day between Darlington and the Reynella interchange.

This project, jointly funded by the state government and the Albanese Labor government, with both contributing $60 million, is boosting South Australia's economy and supporting around 245 jobs. It is important to note that 99 per cent of the workforce was South Australian, with 97 per cent of the work undertaken by SA businesses. Further, approximately 10 per cent of the workforce on this project consisted of apprentices and trainees.

This project has widened the Majors Road bridge to three lanes in each direction, with two through-lanes and a dedicated right-turn lane onto the expressway, improving travel connections between Lonsdale Road and Main South Road. We have constructed new on/off ramps to the Southern Expressway, improving access to the Adelaide CBD, the north-south corridor, southern suburbs and the Fleurieu Peninsula.

New traffic signals have been installed at the junction of Majors Road and Adams Road, providing safe and direct access to recreation areas like O'Halloran Hill Recreation Park. We have also delivered 1.8 kilometres of new shared-use paths, connecting two major cycling routes and enhancing active transport options—for the Hon. Rob Simms. New road lighting has been installed along Majors Road and the Southern Expressway within the project area, improving visibility and safety.

However, this project has been about more than just roads; it has been about delivering lasting benefits to the local community, including improved access to the Southern Expressway, safer and more reliable journeys for all road users, better connections to important sporting and recreational facilities, protection and enhancement of Glenthorne National Park through extensive planting of trees, enhanced access for emergency services vehicles and a shared-use path, as I just mentioned. This has been achieved because of the partnership we have had with communities like the Friends of Glenthorne.

We also had an open day just recently where we were able to have quite a number of local MPs come along and share in this significant opening with the community. I believe hundreds of people ended up coming on the day. I was there in the morning to be able to enjoy celebrations with a number of the members of the community and also the members that were there: federal minister Amanda Rishworth, who played a significant role in this, along with Louise Miller-Frost; the member for Hurtle Vale, Nat Cook; the member for Reynell, Katrine Hildyard; the member for Black, Alex Dighton; the member for Davenport, Erin Thompson; and the member for Gibson, Sarah Andrews.