Maca wins Forrestfield Link work

Local contractor MACA has won a $4.8 million contract to upgrade an intersection in Ascot, which will pave the way for planned street closures as the $2 billion Forrestfield-Airport Rail Link gets under way.

Maca will upgrade the intersection of Great Eastern Highway and Fauntleroy Avenue in Ascot to cater for an expected increase in airport-bound traffic when Brearley Avenue is closed.

Transport Minister Dean Nalder said work under Maca’s contract was expected to be completed by the end of the year.

“Great Eastern Highway will be widened to provide shared left-turn pockets, bus priority lanes, dedicated right-turn lanes and U-turn access for both westbound and eastbound traffic, as well as modifying the traffic signals,” he said.

“Later in 2016, the nearby intersection of Coolgardie Avenue will also be upgraded to provide dedicated right-turn lanes for Great Eastern Highway traffic in both directions.”

Mr Nalder said both intersections are expected to be completed before the end of the year, in preparation for the planned closure of Brearley Avenue at Great Eastern Highway.

The closure of Brearley Avenue is the first in a series of roadworks planned in order to develop the Airport West Station, which forms part of the Forrestfield-Airport Rail Link project.

“Once this closure is in place, north and southbound Tonkin Highway traffic will be directed to the domestic airport through the new Dunreath Drive link,” Mr Nalder said.

“Only traffic heading to the domestic airport from the east is expected to use Fauntleroy Avenue to access the terminals.”

The Forrestfield-Airport Rail Link project, for which a joint venture between Perth contractor NRW Holdings and Italy’s Salini Impregilo has been named preferred proponent, will connect the Midland Line near Bayswater Station and run to Forrestfield through underground tunnels.

The rail line is due to open in 2020. 

Maca shares were 0.3 per cent lower to 89.7 cents each at 10:55am.