The Albanese Government pledges an additional $100 million investment in the 2024–25 Budget for the South Eastern Freeway Upgrade, with matching funds from the South Australian Government.
This project, currently underway at the Heysen Tunnels, extends the Managed Motorway System to enhance travel time reliability and incident response. It involves implementing an Intelligent Transport System for lane management, variable speed limit signs, and median barrier gates for traffic contra-flow during incidents.
The Australian Government now contributes $220 million to this vital project, while South Australia commits $130 million. Additionally, the Mount Barker and Verdun interchanges will undergo upgrades following the recent Federal Budget, enhancing access to the South Eastern Freeway and easing traffic through Hahndorf.
“More than 50,000 motorists travel this section of the freeway each day, and that number is only set to grow with Adelaide Hills seeing the largest population growth in the Greater Adelaide region over the past decade,” Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said.
“The Albanese Government is delivering the infrastructure our community needs, investing in projects like this one which will cater for the long-term needs of our nation.
“I thank the South Australian Government for working closely with us to ensure the delivery of this vital project.”
The Adelaide Hills, experiencing significant population growth, particularly around Mount Barker, will benefit from these upgrades. The Mount Barker interchange will expand to three lanes in both directions, while the Verdun interchange will evolve into a full interchange, facilitating access to and from the South Eastern Freeway in all directions.
The Albanese Government’s investment in the South Eastern Freeway forms part of a $290 million commitment to transport infrastructure in South Australia in the recent Budget. Over the next decade, the Government plans to invest a total of $9.7 billion in road and rail projects in the state.
“The Malinauskas Government welcomes this significant funding commitment from the Albanese Government towards improving safety, access and connectivity in the Adelaide Hills and on the South Eastern Freeway,” Acting South Australian Premier Susan Close said.
“We’ve remained committed to delivering the upgrades to the interchanges at Verdun and Mount Barker to improve connectivity to the Freeway. The $120 million investment on those projects from the Albanese Government will enable us to get on with doing just that.”
For more information on infrastructure spending in the Budget, click here.
