Road improvements on around 1,000km of South Australian roads will be carried out over the next few years. Credit: Hayden Walker.

The Government of South Australia has unveiled plans to upgrade more than 1,000km of regional roads to improve safety and create jobs in the area.

Improvements will be carried out over the next few years and include 690km of shoulder sealing on Playford Highway, Lincoln Highway, Karoonda Highway, Goyder Highway, Wilkins Highway and Blyth Road (Lochiel – Clare).

The upgrades involve road widening, resealing and the installation of audible road tactile marking.

The government also launched planning and design tenders for the construction of seven new overtaking lanes on Horrocks Highway and Riddoch Highway.

In addition, 14 overtaking lanes will be constructed on Augusta Highway, Noarlunga-Victor Harbor, Long Valley Road, Lincoln Highway, Riddoch Highway and Horrocks Highway.

Funding includes A$250m ($169.8m) for Princes Highway improvements, while A$55m ($37.3m) has been allocated for Horrocks Highway.

These planned upgrades complement South Australia’s current road packages, including the A$270m ($183.4m) Roads of Strategic Importance initiatives allocated for Sturt Highway, Barrier Highway, Eyre Highway and other Eyre Peninsula roads.

Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government Stephan Knoll said: “The marshall government is building better regional roads that will create jobs, improve road safety and help save lives on our country roads.”

Additional regional road works undertaken by the government are the Port Wakefield Overpass and Duplication Project, Joy Baluch Bridge Duplication Project and Victor Harbor Road Duplication Project.

Knoll added: “In addition to our big regional road and infrastructure projects, we are fixing over 1,000km of South Australia’s 12,600km sealed regional road network over the next few years that need it most.”

Last month, the government received an infrastructure package of A$415m ($282.6m) to boost its regional road network.