The state's largest road project, the Perth to Bunbury Highway would be opened to traffic from Sunday, September 20 and work on the next stage of the Dampier Highway Duplication project in the Pilbara has commenced.
The state's largest road project, the Perth to Bunbury Highway would be opened to traffic from Sunday, September 20 and work on the next stage of the Dampier Highway Duplication project in the Pilbara has commenced.
Transport Minister Simon O'Brien announced today the new $705 million Perth-Bunbury link would cut travel time on the route by 30 minutes.
However, it has been reported that the new link will be peppered with drug and breath testing patrols and littered with a variety of devices for catching speeding motorists.
This is the single largest project ever undertaken by Main Roads WA.
It includes 19 bridge structures, the largest of which will be the Murray River Bridge, consisting of two separate structures each 272 metres in length.
And the $100 million Dampier Highway Duplication project, which will be jointly funded by the state and federal governments, officially kicked off today.
Work on the remaining stages will be a rolling program of works with the full Dampier Highway Duplication to be completed by 2012.
Full announcements below:
New Perth to Bunbury Highway to open September 20.
Transport Minister Simon O'Brien today announced the Perth to Bunbury Highway would be opened to traffic from Sunday, September 20, 2009.
Mr O'Brien said the new road would cut travel time on the route by 30 minutes.
"This road will significantly change the way in which many of us travel to the South-West," he said.
"Its very existence will have a positive impact on the lives of daily commuters and holiday makers."
The Minister said the opening of the road would be marked with a community celebration to acknowledge the hard work and efforts of those involved in its design and construction.
"More than 3,000 individuals worked on this important piece of infrastructure. This road belongs as much to them as it does to the communities it connects," he said.
"It is only appropriate that their efforts are acknowledged at the opening festivities."
Funded by the Federal and State governments, construction has included 70.5km of dual carriageway from Kwinana Freeway at Safety Bay Road in Baldivis, around the eastern side of the Peel Inlet and Harvey Estuary and joining the existing dual carriageway on Old Coast Road at Lake Clifton.
"The route will link Perth and the South-West, bypassing the heavily populated areas in Mandurah and the Dawesville peninsula," Mr O'Brien said.
NEXT STAGE OF THE DAMPIER HIGHWAY DUPLICATION UNDERWAY
Work on the next stage of the Dampier Highway Duplication project in Western Australia's Pilbara Region has commenced.
Parliamentary Secretary for Western and Northern Australia, Gary Gray, and WA Parliamentary Secretary for Transport, Murray Cowper, representing Transport Minister Simon O'Brien, were on site in Karratha to turn the first sod on Stage 1B of this $100 million project - to be jointly funded by the State and Commonwealth Governments.
Mr Gray said investing in key road infrastructure was critical to ensuring Australia's economic stability and unlocking our export potential.
"The Rudd Labor Government is committed to key infrastructure projects in Western Australia and partnering with the State Government to improve access in the ever-expanding Pilbara region is one such project," Mr Gray said.
"Providing better access to the Burrup Peninsula is essential and this project forms a strategic part of the state road network in the region."
WA Transport Minister, Simon O'Brien said that the work on Stage 1B will involve the construction of a dual carriageway on the Dampier Highway, between the Broadhurst Road Roundabout and the Balmoral Road West Roundabout.
"As well as constructing the dual carriageway, the project will also include widening the existing highway and bridges to accommodate the second carriageway," Mr O'Brien said.
"The works will improve traffic flows and road safety along the Highway - particularly for those commuting between Karratha and Dampier - and also enhance access to the industrial areas of the Dampier Port and Burrup Peninsula.
"Investing in WA's infrastructure is a key priority for the Barnett Government; projects such as this one will secure the future growth of the State," he said.
The Stage 1B works are estimated to be completed by the end of this year and will be managed by Main Roads Western Australia, Pilbara Region.
Work on the remaining stages will be a rolling program of works with the full Dampier Highway Duplication to be completed by 2012.
