An upgrade of three major highways in South Australia will improve freight productivity of national freight routes.
Initial works have started on an upgrade on the Stuart Highway near the Northern Territory border and along the Dukes Highway.
Other works along Port Wakefield Highway between Adelaide and Port Wakefield and on Augusta Highway around Port Augusta will also be undertaken, as part of $30 million in upgrades occurring this financial year.
Planning for the remaining program is progressing, with other works being considered such as intersection upgrades, overtaking lanes, rest areas and targeted safety treatments.
In total, $500 million has been committed towards the upgrades by the Australian Government and SA Government.
The Australian Government’s $400 million contribution is part of the $1.5 billion National Freight Highway Upgrade Program – a 2022-23 October Budget commitment – to seal the Tanami Track in the Northern Territory and Western Australia, as well as upgrading other nationally significant freight routes including the Dukes, Stuart and Augusta highways, and Central Arnhem Road in the NT.
Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, said the pandemic’s toll on Australia’s supply chain has made it vital to invest in measures to keep freight drivers moving.
“These upgrades will also deliver reduced travel times for our truckies, ensuring a more efficient, smoother journey from the farmgate to wholesalers, retailers and on to consumers,” she said.
“Resilient and reliable transport is the backbone of the nation, and I am proud we are delivering this long-term project, which will essentially benefit all Australians.”
More than 3,200 heavy vehicles use the Stuart, Augusta and Dukes highways each day, which are vital transport corridors for freight crossing the nation.
Around half of those vehicles are B-doubles and road trains.
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