Member for Barker has welcomed re-surfacing works on Sturt Highway this week as the beginning of the Federal Government’s Roads of Strategic Importance (ROSI) funding rolling out.
Mr Pasin said the Federal Government’s ROSI initiative was an investment of $3.5 billion nationwide to improve safety, productivity and efficiency on key freight roads.
“The Sturt Highway between Gawler and Renmark has been allocated $70 million of this Federal investment. An 80/20 funding agreement with the State Government it means a total of $87.5 million will be spent to improve this incredibly important transport,” Mr Pasin said.
“The investment will include targeted upgrades to widen, strengthen and realign various sections along the corridor to improve the flow of vehicles and increase access for higher efficiency heavy vehicles.
“It’s wonderful to see this work already underway while the State Department undertake a more detailed corridor analysis for the larger projects,” Mr Pasin said.
Five sites along the corridor will see re-surfacing works begin this week;
- 11kms West of Blanchetown – Length 1650m – Overtaking Lane
- 8kms West of Blanchetown –Length 2535m – Overtaking Lane
- 2kms West of Blanchetown – Length 1730m
- 5kms East of Blanchetown – Length 1693m – Overtaking Lane
- North of Cobdogla – Length 4055
Mr Pasin said he was hopeful that the corridor analysis would show the need for major works at the two intersections of Sturt Highway and Old Sturt Highway, as well as a bypass at Truro.
“We desperately need a solution at the intersections of Sturt and Old Sturt Highways to address safety concerns. I’ve been strongly encouraging my State colleagues to look at these intersections as part of their analysis of where this funding is best spent,” Mr Pasin said.
“A Truro Bypass is also needed enabling better access to the South Australian and New South Wales freight networks, boosting the competitiveness of South Australia’s agricultural sectors, and get heavy vehicles out of the main street of Truro, increasing the safety for local residents and visitors,” Mr Pasin said.
