A busy intersection in Port Lincoln, SA, will be upgraded in a bid to help improve safety for truck drivers travelling the route, following the announcement of $3.6 million in federal government funding.
The upgrades to the intersection of Porter Street, Liverpool Street and Railway Place, at the end of the Lincoln Highway, will include the installation of traffic signals, a dedicated right-hand turn lane, improved drainage, widening and pavement works.
“Projects like this one in Port Lincoln will bolster access and improve freight transport through local communities and improve safety for truck drivers,” said Federal Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Carol Brown.
“Investment in segments of our roads which are well utilised by heavy vehicles has never been more important, with many of our communities grappling with ongoing flooding and tightening supply chains.”
Senator Karen Grogan, Senator for South Australia, added, “Port Lincoln is the seafood capital of Australia and a significant port for the transportation of South Australian crops. To get that seafood and harvest across the country and around the world, we need safe and reliable truck routes.”
The funding comes from the government’s commitment of up to $65 million per year, through the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program, to state, territory and local governments to increase safety outcomes and productivity for heavy vehicle operations in our regions – and is in addition to the $140 million commitment over 10 years for projects to build and upgrade heavy vehicle rest areas.
“The Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program makes a real difference for motorists and industry by shortening transport routes and renewing ageing infrastructure, and I look forward to seeing the benefits from these latest projects flow,” added Brown.
“I also look forward to announcing many more rest area projects through the Heavy Vehicle Rest Area initiative later this year.”