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Industry News

SA budget sets aside $3.1b for infrastructure projects

Construction is set to begin on the $354 million Regency Road to Pym Street (R2P) Project in South Australia, which will form the next step of the North-South Corridor.

The South Australian state government has announced it will invest $3.1 billion in infrastructure in 2018-19, with an expected $11.3 billion to be spent on infrastructure projects to 2022.

Of that total, the government will spend $2.3 billion on roads, allocating $519.1 million to upgrade work on the North-South corridor – a 78km freight vehicle route stretching between Gawler and Old Noarlunga.

The government has also committed $199.7 million for the duplication of the Joy Baluch AM Bridge outside Port Augusta and $15 million for the installation of new safety screens on 10 bridges along the Southern Expressway.

The announcement comes days after the Federal government announced it would allocate $72 million to building a single-lane overpass for the Port Wakefield Road over the intersection of the Augusta and Copper Coast highways, as well as duplicating the Port Wakefield Road through Port Wakefield.

The SA government will provide the remaining $18 million for the project, which is expected to be completed in 2022.

The state government has also committed $20 million over the next four years to developing a masterplan for its GlobeLink proposal, which will look into developing an alternative non-stop corridor connecting Port Adelaide to the state’s southeast.

According to the state government, the corridor, which may be rail or road, would provide safer and more efficient movement of freight, as well as avoiding more heavily populated areas.

The study will also investigate options for a 24-hour freight only airport near Murray Bridge to increase access to international markets, and intermodal export park near Murray Bridge to attract major logistics business, and other associated freight services.

As for regional SA, the state government will provide $773 million for the state’s regional services, roads and economy, including $315 million for regional road and transport networks such as the Port Wakefield Road overpass and the Penola bypass.

A new Regional Roads and Infrastructure Fund will also be established, using 30% of mineral and petroleum royalty revenues to allow for continued investment in regional roads.

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