THE state government says planning and design works will begin within the month to upgrade eight country roads and expedite the reinstatement of 110 kilometre per hour speed limits.
The state government is investing up to $70 million to upgrade roads from Andamooka to Olympic Dam; Cleve to Kimba; the Goyder Highway from Crystal Brook to Gulnare; Riddoch Highway from Mount Gambier to Port MacDonnell; the Ngarkat Highway from Pinnaroo to Bordertown; the Browns Well Highway from Loxton to Pinnaroo; Clay Wells Road from the Southern Ports Highway to Callendale; and Carpenter Rocks Road to Mt Gambier.
Transport Minister Stephan Knoll said the government was "delivering on its election commitment to reinstate the 110km/hr speed limit on these eight country roads".
"Country roads are crucial to building strong regional communities and growing regional economies," he said.
The Riddoch Highway and Carpenter Rocks Road is expected to be reinstated to 110km/hr after safety upgrades by mid next year; Crystal Brook to Gulnare and Clay Wells Road to Callendale will be by the first half of 2021; while the four other road upgrades are scheduled for completion by mid-2021.
"Regional South Australians use these roads every day as they go about their daily lives, so the condition and speed limits on these roads impact them every day," Mr Knoll said.
"We're investing the money necessary to make these roads safer which will enable the speed limit to be returned to 110km/hr."
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The speed up in process follows Stock Journal reporting last month that while the Liberal government went to the election with a promise to restore speed limits on these eight SA roads, money to fix them was only budgeted to be spent in 2021-23.
Mr Knoll said not only would the planning and design works begin within the next month, a tender for the procurement of works for the Carpenters Rocks Road upgrade would be released this month.
"Where Labor failed to invest and instead cut speed limits, the Liberal government will invest in country roads and reinstate these speed limits," he said.
Member for Barker Tony Pasin has called for the "immediate" return of 110km/hr speed limits on the eight regional roads as per the Liberal Party's election commitment.
Five of the eight regional roads are in the Barker electorate.
"I want to see these roads upgraded, and I am advocating for Federal funding to help this happen faster, but in the meantime the speed limits should be reinstated to 110km/hour immediately, we shouldn't have to wait until 2020-21. That was never the commitment," he said.
"The previous Labor Government's decision to reduce these speed limits caused massive frustration in the community.
"It's extremely hypocritical for them to now attack the Marshall Government for not acting fast enough to fix an issue that they created."
Opposition road safety spokesperson Lee Odenwalder has been contacted for comment.
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