- New boom gates, flashing lights and warning bells installed at Crystal Brook and Warnertown
- Track and road improvements make crossings safer for heavy vehicles and farm machinery
- Upgrades support local farming communities, freight operators and school buses
Two upgraded level crossings are now operating at Crystal Brook and Warnertown in South Australia’s Mid North, improving safety for local farming communities.
New boom gates, flashing lights and warning bells have replaced the previous signs at Montrose Lane in Crystal Brook and Davis Road in Warnertown, near Port Pirie.
The upgrades give drivers clear warnings when trains are approaching, helping reduce the risk of collisions and making the crossings safer for everyone who uses them.
The projects are jointly funded by the Australian Government through its $160 million Regional Level Crossing Upgrade Fund and rail infrastructure manager, the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC).
The improvements are particularly important for farmers and heavy-vehicle drivers, who regularly use the crossings to transport grain, machinery and other goods across the region.
At Montrose Lane in Crystal Brook, project engineers have raised a section of railway, removing a height difference between two tracks that created a risk of larger vehicles scraping or becoming stuck while crossing.
The work has levelled the crossing, helping farmers and truck drivers move heavy vehicles and machinery across the railway more safely.
At Davis Road in Warnertown, the upgrades will improve safety for local farmers transporting grain and large machinery, as well as school buses travelling between the Gladstone area and Port Pirie.
Crews have also laid a new road surface, sealed the approaches, and added clearer road markings and signs to help drivers cross safely.
New signalling equipment has been raised above expected flood levels to help protect it from flood damage and improve the railway’s resilience during severe weather.
Heather Parry, Director Infrastructure Projects ARTC said:
“Level crossings are part of everyday life in regional communities, and these upgrades will provide better protection for the people who use them.
“At Crystal Brook, we’ve adjusted the crossing levels, to reduce the risk of large vehicles getting stuck on the tracks, while at Warnertown safety improvements will benefit the farmers, freight operators and school buses regularly using the crossing”.
“These level crossing improvements will reduce risk to local communities and support the industries that rely on our road and rail networks.”
South Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Joe Szakacs said:
“Tragically, two in three people who lose their lives on South Australian roads call our state’s regional and remote communities home.
“Our Government warmly welcomes investments that improve the safety of our regional road network.
“Importantly, these upgrades make it safer for the transport workers who use and cross these tracks each day – be it in a truck, on a bus, or on a train. They all do an important job, and like all workers, deserve to get home safely.
“We thank the Australian Government and ARTC for delivering these upgrades.”
