The June 5 State Budget will include new funding to deliver critical safety improvements on a notorious section of Main South Road between Myponga and Yankalilla.
The Malinauskas Government will partner with the Albanese Federal Government to deliver a total of $80 million (50:50) over five years from 2025-26, which will include the construction of new overtaking lanes.
Main South Road is a key route connecting heavy vehicles, commuters and tourists from Adelaide to destinations along the Fleurieu Peninsula. The section of road between Myponga and Yankalilla carries around 4,900 vehicles a day.
The road includes many curves and has an undulating environment, which makes overtaking difficult, resulting in delays and driver frustrations that can lead to unsafe behaviour.
Between 2019 and 2023, there were 16 crashes, which resulted in one fatality and five people seriously injured. In 2024, five crashes resulted in four lives lost and two serious injuries.
Upgrades will include the construction of two new overtaking lanes, targeted curve easing and road widening, as well as widening narrow bridges and culverts.
These improvements will increase overtaking opportunities and create a safer environment for all road users travelling to and from the Fleurieu Peninsula.
The project will also support economic growth and improve livability by making travel safe and reliable to key destinations, including Kangaroo Island.
This project is expected to support approximately 125 full time equivalent jobs per year over the construction period.
This project complements the Malinauskas Government's election commitment to deliver three overtaking lanes on Main South Road between Normanville and Cape Jervis. This part of Main South Road sees between 1,200 to 2,200 vehicles a day.
Together, this now brings a total investment of $111.8 million to deliver five overtaking lanes and other safety upgrades on Main South Road between Myponga and Cape Jervis.
Between 2019 and 2023 there were 17 crashes between Normanville and Cape Jervis, including two fatal crashes and eight crashes resulting in 12 serious injuries. In 2024 there were four crashes which left ten people with serious injuries.
These overtaking lanes will reduce risky overtaking behaviour and support improved traffic flow and safety for locals, tourists, and heavy vehicles, while also building capacity for future growth.
This project is expected to support approximately 115 full time equivalent jobs over the construction period.
The concept design for these overtaking lanes is currently being developed. To find out more, please visit Main South Road Overtaking Lanes - Normanville to Cape Jervis - Department for Infrastructure and Transport - South Australia.
As put by Tom Koutsantonis
Locals have long called for safety improvements along Main South Road between Myponga and Yankalilla, and now we are getting on with delivering them together with the Australian government with this new $80 million initiative.
Last year alone we saw five serious crashes, tragically resulting in four lives lost and several people seriously injured, as well as a horrifying near miss when a truck drove into oncoming traffic by attempting to overtake on a narrow bridge.
One life lost on our roads is one too many. Improving the driving conditions and adding overtaking lanes on this key route to and from the Fleurieu Peninsula will reduce driver frustration and help prevent risky behaviour that can lead to tragedy.
As put by Stephen Mullighan
We have a long-term vision to see zero lives lost on our roads by 2050.
The Fleurieu Peninsula is a popular part of our state, and we want to ensure South Australians reach their destination safely.
The partnership between the Albanese and Malinauskas Governments will fund these two new overtaking lanes and important road upgrades between Myponga and Yankalilla.
As put by Leon Bignell, MP for Mawson
Along with other locals in our area who drive that stretch of road on a regular basis, I'm delighted this funding has been made available to make our roads safer.
For almost a decade now I've been working on getting extra funding for Main South Road and we have seen the duplication from Seaford to Sellicks, the go-ahead for the three overtaking lanes between Normanville and Cape Jervis and now the huge upgrade of the stretch between Myponga and Yankalilla.
In any budget there are always competing interests from different parts of the state. I'm delighted the federal and state Labor governments continue to listen to the people of Mawson and provide the very best infrastructure to keep us safe and to improve productivity.
