Five Northern Territory road black spots will receive $1.87 million funding as part of the Black Spot Program’s 2018–19 funding round.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Michael McCormack, said the Australian Government is committed to building safer roads across the nation.
“The Black Spot Program targets road locations where crashes are occurring, reducing the risk of crashes through funding safety measures such as traffic signals and roundabouts at dangerous locations,” Mr McCormack said.
“The five black spot projects being funded across the Northern Territory are an important contribution towards reducing the national road toll.”
Senator for the Northern Territory and Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Nigel Scullion, said this investment in black spot projects will deliver safer roads in three Local Government areas throughout the Northern Territory.
“Funding has been allocated to road locations that have been identified as high priority, with 21 casualty crashes recorded at these sites over the past five years, including one fatality,” Mr Scullion said.
“The panel which reviews priorities for the program includes representatives from the NT Road Transport Association, NT Police, Automobile Association of the NT and Territory and Local Government.
“The Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) has found that, on average, Black Spot projects reduce the number of crashes causing death and injury by 30 per cent.”
Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister, Keith Pitt, said the recently announced Federal Budget delivered a $24.5 billion pipeline of infrastructure investment nationwide, with the Northern Territory set to benefit.
“This pipeline includes $180 million toward upgrading Central Arnhem Road and up to $100 million to improve the Buntine Highway. The Northern Territory will also benefit from the $1.5 billion Roads of Strategic Importance—Northern Australia Package and a further commitment of $160 million toward the iconic Outback Way across Queensland, the Territory and Western Australia,” Mr Pitt said.
The Australian Government has committed $744.5 million to the Black Spot Program from 2013–14 to 2021–22 to improve road safety across the nation.
