Brierty wins $8m highway contract

Diversified contractor Brierty has won a $8.5 million contract to reconstruct three sections of the Coalfields Highway in the Shire of Collie.

Brierty will reconstruct 7.7 kilometres of road along the Coalfields Highway, which is a major road freight and passenger link between the South Western Highway and the town of Collie, connecting Bunbury to the inland.

The state government has committed $53 million towards the Coalfields Highway upgrade project between Roelands and Collie since 2009.

Brierty’s involvement will include an upgrade to the highway from west of Wellington Dam Road to Allanson.

“The project includes realignment and widening of the highway, as well as the installation of improved drainage, safety barriers, and new intersections at Wellington Dam Road and Gastaldo Road,” Transport Minister Dean Nalder said.

“This stage of the project will significantly improve the safety of the highway, and cater for increasing traffic volumes, while meeting the changing needs of the transport industry and reducing freight costs.”

Work under the contract will begin next month, with completion due in May 2016.

Brierty was also involved in an earlier stage of the project, having completed a 4km extension of an existing climbing lane on Roelands Hill in May last year.

Brierty shares were 1.9 per cent lower to 25.5 cents each at 11:15am.