Major road projects driving forward

The federal and state governments have funded these important regional projects on an 80:20 basis, with $200 million towards the Port Augusta bridge, $90m to the overpass and $14.6m to the bypass.

Once tenderers provide responses to the EOl, submissions will be evaluated, with two shortlisted tenderers invited in September 2019, to submit an offer, as part of the next stage of the procurement.

This EOI also includes a planning study and construction works for a jointly-funded section of duplication, together with overtaking lane improvements on the Augusta Highway.

A tender will be released for construction of the Penola Northern Bypass, with the contract expected to be awarded late in the last quarter of 2019.

Major construction works on the Joy Baluch AM Bridge Duplication and Port Wakefield Overpass and Highway Duplication projects are expected to begin in 2020, with completion expected in 2022.

Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Minister Michael McCormack said the Coalition government was pleased to be supporting these vital projects with the benefits to be wide ranging.

"Each of these projects will boost safety and deliver travel time savings for everyday South Australians and the tourists that visit the state's beautiful attractions," he said.

"The Joy Baluch AM Bridge duplication and the Penola Northern Bypass projects in particular will have a positive impact on freight productivity.

"On the bypass, local traffic will be separated from freight vehicles - enabling freight drivers to get their products and produce to where it needs to be sooner and safer."

The Penola Bypass aims to significantly reduce heavy vehicle traffic volumes through the Penola township, reduce conflict between heavy vehicles, pedestrians and local traffic within Penola and reduce travel time and create improved access for heavy vehicles.

Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government Minister Stephan Knoll said the state government had built an $11.9 billion pipeline of infrastructure projects across the next four years.

"We will now see shovels in the ground from next year as we build these important regional road projects," he said.

"These regional road projects will make country roads safer, build regional communities and unlock economic potential in the regions.

"Every long weekend and holiday period we see massive queues of cars trying to get on or off the Yorke Peninsula and that's why we are building the long-awaited overpass and duplicating part of that road.

"The Joy Baluch Bridge duplication project has significant economic importance to SA as the access point across the Spencer Gulf."

Civil Contractors Federation SA chief executive Phil Sutherland questioned the government's manner in releasing the tenders, saying the practice of "bundling" was not equitable for local businesses.

"With something like $11b worth of proposed SA civil projects alone on the books over the next decade, how will SA's civil sector, under these regimes, control its destiny?" he said.

"We want to be a leading participant, not a by-stander, in our own construction backyard."

Mr Sutherland said the CCF (SA) called on the Government to immediately rescind its out-of-touch contractual approach, disaggregate the two pending contracts and bring fresh opportunity to the sector to build a stronger and higher skillset in this industry in SA.