Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister Keith Pitt visited the Mount Gambier region today to highlight the positive outcomes of the Coalition Government’s infrastructure investment in the region.
Joining Federal Member for Barker Tony Pasin at the site of a road upgrade near Mount Gambier Airport, Mr Pitt said the $620,000 upgrade was a great example of the everyday benefits the Australian Government’s commitment to the region was delivering for residents and businesses.
“Here in Mount Gambier, we are delivering over $197,000 toward the project to upgrade Mingbool Road between Worrolong Road and Kennedy Avenue, which will improve safety and access for the community,” he said.
“This project is part of the Australian Government’s nationwide Roads to Recovery investment, which is delivering $4.8 billion between the 2013−14 and 2012−22 financial years to support local governments to help maintain road infrastructure, better connect communities and improve safety.
“In addition, the Government has just announced $5.5 million to upgrade 24 dangerous locations under the 2018−19 financial year’s Black Spot Program allocation to further enhance safety on our nation’s roads.”
Mr Pasin said the Mingbool Road upgrade involved reconstructing and sealing the 4.2-kilometre section between Worrolong Road and Kennedy Avenue, just north of Mount Gambier.
“The upgrade involves widening the carriageway from six to 10 metres, strengthening the road surface and refreshing line markings to improve safety,” he said.
“Used by an average of 700 vehicles a day, Mingbool Road is a heavy vehicle bypass road and provides access for commodity freight to the Princes Highway into Victoria for the horticulture, agriculture, dairy and forestry industries north of Mount Gambier.
“This is just one example of important road infrastructure improvements being delivered on a rolling basis thanks to Roads to Recovery and Australian Government investment more generally.”
“The Coalition’s srong economic management means the government is able to continue to fund these important projects that make such a positive difference to our community.”
For more information on Roads to Recovery, visit http://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure_investment/roads_to_recovery/.
