Nearly 400 trees will need be chopped down to facilitate a new south-bound overtaking lane for Victor Harbor Road at Hindmarsh Valley.

The Department for Infrastructure and Transport is asking the Native Vegetation Council for permission to remove 388 trees of seven different species.

The new overtaking lane will be about 9.5km north of Victor Harbor (about 500m north of the Mount Rosa and Squires Roads intersection).

In a report prepared by EBS Ecology the Department says it is unlikely that the clearance can be avoided or that the overtaking lane could be located elsewhere.

It describes the Victor Harbor Road as “notorious” for serious and fatal crashes. It says that although many safety improvements have been installed along the length of the road there are still areas with limited overtaking opportunities.

There are currently no overtaking lanes for south-bound traffic between Crows Nest Road and the Waterport / Ring Road roundabout at the edge of Victor Harbor.

It says changes to the Department’s original plans have saved a further 51 trees that were also to be cut down.

The works will include additional separation between the northbound and southbound carriageways near the new overtaking lane to reduce the potential for head-on collisions. 

Audio tactile line marking (ATLM) and a central wire rope safety barrier (WRSB) will also be installed.