Work gets underway on two Augusta Highway junction upgrades

Work to upgrade two Augusta Highway junctions south of Crystal Brook in South Australia’s mid-north commenced in early June 2023, as part of a program of upgrades to improve safety, connectivity and freight efficiency along the highway.

The Australian and South Australian governments are jointly funding several  infrastructure upgrades along the Augusta Highway between Port Wakefield and Port Augusta as part of the $266.3 million Princes Highway Corridor Upgrade program.

The Australian Government has committed $213 million and the South Australian Government $53.3 million towards the corridor.

The Augusta Highway junctions being upgraded are located at Venning Road, south of Crystal Brook and Clements Road north of Redhill.

Main works on each junction started on Monday, 5 June 2023 and include:

• road widening to improve safety for turning vehicles
• road resurfacing for the extent of the works
• installation of raised road reflective markers (RRPMs)
• new road lighting throughout the work area
• installation of audio tactile line marking (ATLM).

The works will be delivered by construction firm BMD and are expected to be completed in early 2024, weather permitting.

To safely undertake these works, traffic will be reduced to a single lane, intermittently as required, with temporary traffic signals in place to control the direction of traffic.

Speed restrictions will also be in place throughout the work area.

Outside of working hours, the highway will open to traffic in each direction with temporary speed restrictions in place.

Road users are encouraged to plan ahead, expect delays, allow extra travel time and take extra care when workers are on site.

Motorists should observe speed limits, lane restrictions and traffic controllers when travelling through the area.

The works program also includes upgrading the Augusta Highway junction with Horrocks Pass Road at Winninowie and the construction of a new northbound overtaking lane on the highway to the south of the junction.

The Horrocks Pass Road junction upgrade is expected to start in late 2023, with the overtaking lane set to begin at a later date.