Mar 3, 2009

SA economy to get boost from $48 million in extra road funding

MEDIA RELEASE

The Hon Anthony Albanese MP

The Minister for Infrastructure, Transport,

Regional Development and Local Government

Leader of the House

Member for Grayndler

March 3 2009

Work is set to start up to six months early on vital road projects across South Australia, as part of the Rudd and Rann Labor governments’ strategy to support jobs during the global recession.

Federal Transport and Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese said the Australian Government will immediately provide the South Australian Government with $48.4 million for the maintenance and upgrade of the State’s road network.

“As well as putting in place the road infrastructure vital to Australia’s long term economic prosperity, this new funding will support hundreds of local jobs, provide an immediate stimulus to local economies and save lives,” said Mr Albanese.

The key elements of the package include:

Fast tracking safety upgrades along the Dukes and Sturt highways and South Eastern Freeway;
Extra funding for road maintenance;
New money to fix dangerous blacks spots;
Building new and upgrading existing rest stops for truck drivers; and
Installing boom gates and other safety measures at high risk rail crossings.

“Central to the Government’s nation building agenda, and essential to Australia’s international competitiveness, is a greater investment in transport infrastructure,” said Mr Albanese.

“That’s why we have put in place a $26 billion Nation Building road and rail program for the period between 2008/09 and 2013/14 – a record amount of Federal funding and double what the previous government spent over a similar period of time.

“Out of this budget, $1.7 billion is earmarked for road projects in South Australia.”

Mr Conlon said the State Government had worked very hard to secure these funds.

“The Rann Government is spending more than any SA State Government in history on our transport infrastructure and this is reward for that commitment,” he said.

“We’ll see a far more efficient and importantly safer stretch of road between Adelaide and the border providing benefits to local communities, tourists and our freight industry alike.”