The media have been calling it the “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” but the Mount Barker community is celebrating a milestone for an unfinished arterial road, with the completion of a new $5M rail level crossing along the Heysen Boulevard.
The plan to improve the connectivity and safety for the Hills town was announced at the State Government’s Country Cabinet in August 2023.
A new level crossing fills a gap on Heysen Boulevard between the Bluestone and Minters Fields estates, completing a critical part of the route.
The development includes a fully completed road and pedestrian pathway, as well as realignment of the Steam Ranger rail line with new signaling, lighting, and landscaping. The Steam Ranger railway, which resumed operations earlier this year, will now operate alongside these upgraded transport pathways.
Originally, the project was not included in the Mount Barker Growth Area Development Deed, putting its completion at risk due to reliance on developer funding.
Heysen Boulevard is set to run through the entire 1,300 hectares of the Mount Barker growth area, following a rezoning in 2010.
Construction has been incremental, with various developers contributing sections over time. Since the rail corridor itself is not owned by private developers, responsibility for this infrastructure couldn’t be mandated under the original deed, requiring collaboration between the State Government and Council to address the gap.
Mount Barker Mayor David Leach says he is thrilled the works at the crossing are now completed.
“The new rail crossing will ease traffic congestion, improve access to homes, shops, and amenities, and provide a safer and more enjoyable route for pedestrians and cyclists,” Mayor David Leach said.
Kavel MP and Independent Minister Dan Cregan said the community has long awaited the connection between the eastern and western parts of Heysen Boulevard.
“This new crossing benefits thousands of residents in Mount Barker’s southern development areas, opening an essential thoroughfare and paving the way for further progress on this increasingly vital route,” Minister Dan Cregan said.
Hear more from Minister Cregan speaking with ARN’s Adam Connelly and Jennie Lenman via this soundcloud link.
