Pressure is mounting on the State Liberal Government to extend Newton Boulevard to Stebonheath Road to help ease congestion on Curtis Road and make it easier for Munno Para residents to access local schools and shops.

Local Member of Parliament, Mr Tony Piccolo, said residents in the Munno Para and Munno Para West areas are very critical of the performance of Curtis Road and complain about long delays during peak times.

“Currently, Curtis Road is the only link between the Munno Para residential areas and the education and retail precinct,” Mr Piccolo said.

Mr Piccolo understands that there are plans to extend Newton Boulevard to Stebonheath Road and he is lobbying to have the construction of the road extension brought forward.

“With schools re-opening today, the traffic delay issues in the area become worse as parents try to negotiate Curtis Road to get their children to school or go to the local shops and other services,” Mr Piccolo said.

Mr Piccolo has written to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, the Hon Stephan Knoll, asking that the Newton Boulevard extension be constructed and opened for use as soon as is practicable, to provide a valuable link between the residential and retail/education precincts.

“It would also shift unnecessary traffic away from Curtis Road and reduce congestion on it during peak times, assisting with traffic movements for people living in Munno Para (Playford Alive part),” Mr Piccolo said.

“While I fully support the opening of the Boulevard as soon as is practicable, I would like to be reassured that appropriate traffic management treatments are undertaken at the intersection of Newton Boulevard and Stebonheath Road, as I don’t believe a normal T-junction will be safe enough.

“It is also important that the extended Newton Boulevard alignment does not cut off any opportunities for the development of car parking areas on the western boundary of Mark Oliphant College.”

Mr Piccolo said the Liberal Party campaigned heavily on improving traffic flows in the area at last year’s State election, so they are duty bound to deliver on that promise.

The location of the proposed extension can be found at: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Newton+Blvd,+Munno+Para+SA+5115/@-34.6668578,138.683647,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x6ab0ac85c480c6bd:0xdfc161c05ab8de74!8m2!3d-34.6668578!4d138.6858357