Three-way tussle for $40 million freeway work

Shortlisted contractors for the widening of the Mitchell Freeway have been announced, with BMD Constructions, CPB Contractors and WBHO Infrastructure in the race for the $40 million contract.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the Mitchell Freeway carried some of the highest traffic loads in Perth - up to 180,000 vehicles per day – making the work vital to keep traffic flowing.

“The project works will include an additional lane for seven kilometres, reducing the need for merging bottlenecks and improving congestion and safety along this stretch of freeway,” she said.

Canberra is contributing $32 million towards the upgrade, with $8 million coming from the state government.

“Further state funding will be allocated on top of the roadworks component to complete the missing link on the pedestrian shared path from Glendalough Station to Hutton Street to improve infrastructure for both cyclists and pedestrians,” Ms Saffioti said.

Federal Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher said the project formed part of a $1.6 billion investment in Western Australian infrastructure form the federal government.

Tenderers are to submit proposals by February 2018, with construction expected to start mid-2018 and be completed by the end of 2019.