Numerous motorists from regional South Australia have expressed their dissatisfaction regarding the poor state of the region’s highways, informing the ABC that they are concerned for their safety.
In November 2023, the national administration declared its intention to transition to a
A 50-50 agreement was reached for financing specific national infrastructure improvements.
, which encompassed national highways, back when it was an 80:20 ratio.
While January's announcement of
A $9 billion overhaul of Queensland's Bruce Highway has returned to the 80:20 funding ratio.
It seems probable that South Australia will adopt the 50:50 model.
The South Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Tom Koutsantonis, stated that the state was continuing to collaborate with the federal government to implement crucial safety enhancements at hazardous sites.
Talks with the Commonwealth regarding cost-sharing agreements, especially for local highways, continue, and we acknowledge the substantial contributions toward key initiatives through an equal 50-50 financing arrangement.
A potential outcome of the additional financial burden placed on the South Australian government for supporting national highway funding may be reduced resources allocated to state and local roadway systems.
The Shadow Minister for Transport, Ben Hood, stated that a 50:50 funding arrangement would hinder South Australia's progress.
He mentioned that a 50:50 model places immense strain on the state budget, particularly concerning regional highways.
The leaders of Tasmania and New South Wales opposed the government’s proposal to alter the division, yet we received no response from either the South Australian leader or Minister Koutsantonis.
The model also worries local councils.
The Local Government Association of South Australia stated that the state gets the least amount of federal road funding among all states when measured per person and per kilometer of roadway.
Municipalities depend on occasional supplements to their temporary funds to bridge the shortfall, yet this unpredictability complicates efforts to strategize for ongoing upkeep and improvements to facilities and systems.
Following an examination of governmental expenditures, the federal administration implemented modifications.
A representative of Federal Transport Minister Catherine King stated that the government’s strategy for infrastructure financing was suggested by an impartial assessment.
They stated that this implies states should conduct thorough planning for initiatives, reduce budget overruns, and also allows for investing in additional projects in South Australia without increasing the total funding.
The Coalition stated their dedication to reinstating the 80:20 ratio employed earlier should they win the forthcoming federal election.
'Patch jobs' washed away
In South Australia’s South East region, the Southern Ports Highway follows the coastline, linking bustling seaside towns such as Robe, Beachport, and Southend.
Locals scorn the road as being narrow, hilly, and quickly falling into disrepair; it also ranked sixth on the RAA’s latest Risky Roads list for South Australia.
Margie Bowman is intimately familiar with the route, after recently stepping down from her role as the driver for Beachport’s school bus on the journey to the local Kangaroo Inn Area School.
"This is my biggest fear — even though I no longer have to deal with it, I'm concerned for others who might end up driving the bus," she stated.
There are plans to reconstruct the entire highway connecting Beachport and Southend. However, Ms Bowman mentioned that recent roadwork efforts have failed to alleviate local residents' worries.
"Patched repairs these days aren’t compressed together like they used to be… so whenever we have rainfall, everything just gets washed away again," she explained.
The surface is inconsistent, and without a solid foundation, this isn’t likely to improve.
'A bandaid fix'
The tale is much the same in the Riverland.
The continuous $87.5 million upgrade project for the Sturt Highway Corridor encompasses improvements over roughly 210 kilometers of the highway.
Jodie Harriss resides in Waikerie and commutes daily via the Sturt Highway for her job in Berri, which is about 60 kilometers from where she lives.
"There have been numerous spots along that route where maintenance has occurred, however... it’s merely a temporary solution," she stated.
"Before you know it, you've got that hole and that ditch again.
When it comes to a key arterial road linking different states, it’s completely inadequate.
What you pay for is what you get, and the government claims they'll invest all this funding into our highways—but I haven’t noticed it out on the road… it’s dangerous.
Very little flexibility
The Flinders Highway links the South Australian towns of Ceduna and Port Lincoln, stretching over 396 kilometers through sandy dunes, barren terrains, and numerous dirt tracks that lead to isolated shores and famous surfing spots.
Recently, caravans and trucks have been seen more frequently.
The grain trains stopped running in the area in May 2019 after Viterra shifted its operations from rail to road transport. This resulted in a significant rise in truck traffic, particularly noticeable during harvesting season.
The president of the Streaky Bay and Districts Road Safety Committee, Mischa Karp, noted that tourism has risen in the region, and transportation agencies should consider examining the roadway's width.
"I'm a caravan owner myself and find the most stressful part of any journey is going north and south along Flinders Highway," Mr Karp said.
The roads are extremely narrow, featuring minimal shoulder space or none at all. You frequently find yourself sharing the road with large volumes of vehicles, including caravans and grain trucks, as well as dealing with various hilly sections.
ABC assessed the roadway at multiple segments of the Flinders Highway.
The 8.85-meter-wide stretch of the Western Approach Road located near Duck Ponds close to Port Lincoln, complete with bicycle lanes, offers ample space for all users.
However, the situation differs around Talia, which lies between Port Kenny and Elliston, as the roadway here spans merely 6.04 meters—measured from one side of the asphalt to the other—and gets even narrower close to the Cummins Monument Lookout north of Mount Drummond, where it extends only up to 6.09 meters in width.
In Australia, the maximum permitted width for caravans is 2.5 metres.
This indicates that when two caravans meet one another on the Flinders Highway, they have barely more than a metre of space to maneuver past each other.
What matter concerns you most in this federal election? Do you have any specific queries?
Experiencing difficulty viewing this form? Give it a try
this link
.
Comments
Post a Comment