Two South Australian regional roads have had their speed limits reinstated to 110km/h, with a third expected to join them next week.
The speed limit on the section of the Goyder Highway between Crystal Brook and Gulnare, as well as Carpenter Rocks Road between Carpenter Rocks and Mount Gambier, has been lifted to 110km/h.
The routes were among eight reduced to 100km/h in late 2017 by the Labor government in response to concerns about safety.
Clay Wells Road near Robe is one of five roads still waiting to be upgraded and have the speed limit restored.
The Liberal party entered the 2018 election, promising to upgrade these roads and restore the speed limits.
Andamooka Road, between Andamooka and Olympic Dam will follow next week, according to Transport Minister Corey Wingard.
“We're spending millions of dollars upgrading our regional road network so that your drive is smoother and safer,” said Wingard.
The investment, according to Wingard, was part of a commitment of $1.1 billion from the state government to improve regional roads, and also contributed to more than 100 jobs.
In early July, former Transport Minister Stephan Knoll said the Goyder Highway and Carpenters Rocks Road were expected to have their speed limits returned within weeks.
“The Marshall government is investing millions of dollars to fix these roads and make them safer so we can deliver on our election commitment,” said Knoll.
“There are a couple of roads that will see their speed limit reinstated to 110km/h in the coming weeks, while others are still undergoing construction and will be a bit further off,” he said.
In March, the government announced a $120-million stimulus package for road repairs during the early Covid-19 lockdown, as well as $12 million towards a North-South freight route to bypass Adelaide.
Tenders for that project went out late last month.
Knoll said in late June more than 300km of country roads were being repaired at the time, with plans to upgrade more than 1000km of country roads across the next four years.
The remaining five – Clay Wells and Cleve roads and the Riddoch, Ngarkat and Browns Well highways – are scheduled to have works completed and speed limits returned later this year or early next year.
Initially these upgrades were not budgeted to occur until 2021-23, but one year ago the state government announced it was fast-tracking plans to repair these roads.
(Image: South Australia Transport Minister, Corey Wingard.)