Green light for Bindoon bypass option

Plans for a new section of Great Northern Highway will be progressed by Main Roads after the state government gave its nod for a bypass of Bindoon.

Transport Minister Bill Marmion said in a statement today that he had endorsed the realignment option known as Western Bypass Corridor A (see map below).

The bypass route includes 48 kilometres of new highway between Chittering Roadhouse and Calingiri West Road.

“Corridor A achieves the best balance of cost, freight efficiency and social impacts – additionally, it can be built with minimal disruption to the existing highway,” Mr Marmion said.

“Main Roads identified safety and efficiency issues for road trains on the highway through the Bindoon townsite and on the steep grades of Bindoon Hill.”

Three bypass options were touted, with community and stakeholder feedback attributing to the state government’s decision on where the bypass would be constructed.

“This bypass will provide the final link in upgrading the Great Northern Highway to the same standard south from Wubin to the planned road train assemble area at Muchea,” Mr Marmion said.

“Funding options for future construction will be explored, including using available funds to protect the planned route through land acquisition, providing certainty to landowners and the wider Bindoon community.”

Muchea is the end point for the $1.2 billion Northlink roads project, in which a consortium comprising BGC Contracting and Laing O’Rourke won a $417 million contract for today.