Yet another congesting-busting intersection project has opened to traffic as the Marshall Liberal Government's multi-billion-dollar infrastructure blitz continues to roll out.
The daily drive for more than 60,000 motorists will be smoother, safer and quicker through the busy Grand Junction, Hampstead and Briens Road intersection thanks to a $19 million upgrade.
The milestone comes as the Marshall Liberal Government reveals a massive $153 million worth of infrastructure project tenders were released in September - the largest monthly value of the year so far - that will support around 500 full-time-equivalent jobs.
South Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Corey Wingard said this takes the total value of projects tendered since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to more than a whopping $2 billion.
"Building what matters to South Australia is one of the key drivers behind our economic recovery from the COVID pandemic," Minister Wingard said.
"Since March 2020 in response to the call to stimulate the SA economy the department's Transport Project Delivery team has released to the market 230 projects across Metropolitan and Regional SA at an estimated value of $2.009 billion.
"Our infrastructure blitz continues to deliver much-needed road and marine upgrades right across the state as well as jobs at a time when they're needed most."
The nine tenders released in September were for a range of projects including the $36 million refurbishment of the Old Murray Bridge and the $75 million Heysen Tunnels Refit and Safety Upgrade.
Six tenders were also released for regional road and bridge upgrades, including two major packages of works forming part of the jointly-funded $82.2 million Horrocks Highway Corridor Upgrade.
These packages involve full road reconstruction works along the 17-kilometre section of the highway between Undalya and Giles Corner and the eight-kilometre section between Tarlee and Linwood.
"All of these projects will deliver meaningful results for South Australians," Minister Wingard said.
"Projects like the Grand Junction, Hampstead and Briens Road intersection upgrade will mean motorists can get home to their families faster and safer.
"Other key upgrades currently underway include the Portrush Road and Magill Road Intersection upgrade and the Golden Grove Road upgrade.
"These are in addition to completed intersection upgrades that we've opened recently like Goodwood, Spingbank and Daws Road intersection and Main North Road, Kings and McIntyre Roads intersection."
Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said the Grand Junction, Hampstead and Briens Road intersection upgrade is one of many important infrastructure projects being funded under the Morrison Government's Urban Congestion Fund.
"The Morrison Government is getting on with delivering infrastructure projects that improve congestion and safety for commuters across Australia, making it easier for them to move around our capital cities and ensuring they get home quickly and safely," Minister Fletcher said.
"Under the Urban Congestion Fund, we are delivering 182 packages of work nationwide. The total number of projects that are now completed or underway nationwide is 75. A further 22 are expected to start construction this year.
"This is just the latest example of us delivering on our commitment to progress critical infrastructure projects across the country under our record $110 billion, 10-year infrastructure investment pipeline, which is helping to drive Australia's economic recovery."
