The South Australian Government has announced it has begun its “building boom” across the state with more than $1 billion of infrastructure projects expected within the next six months.
A total of 1300 jobs are expected to be supported by these major construction projects.
Construction of the Port Wakefield Overpass and Highway Duplication and the Joy Baluch AM Bridge Duplication Project have started to improve the state’s regional roads.
Sealing works on the Tod and Birdseye Highways are expected in November.
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Corey Wingard said the projects will replenish the South Australian economy in the wake of COVID-19.
“The economic challenges our state is facing at the moment are unprecedented,” he said.
“Getting major works started on infrastructure projects across South Australia will help keep the economy firing as we navigate our way through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Creating jobs is critical to our economic recovery and we’re delivering around 1315 over the next six months in road infrastructure projects alone.
“Congestion busting projects in the city will also help tens of thousands of motorists, saving them valuable time on their daily commute and making their journeys safer and more reliable.”
Major construction works in metropolitan Adelaide will begin at the end of the year and will include intersection upgrades.
A swathe of major works will begin next year such as the Flagstaff road upgrade, the Womma Road and Stebonheath Road roundabout and the North East Road and South Para Road Junction upgrade.
The state government has also fast-tracked road safety projects through its stimulus package, which will see 1000km of audio tactile line marking on South Australia’s roads. The tender for the stimulus package will go to market in November.
Local side roads across 16 major regional roads junctions will start works in December 2020, with further sealing works to be undertaken in January 2021.
Improvements to high priority roads through the Regional Road Network Package will begin between now and March 2021.