A $5 million project to improve road safety on the South Coast Highway in Western Australia is on track, with stage two upgrade between Pfeiffer Road and Cheynes Bead Road set to begin in February 2017.
Western Australian Minister for Transport, Bill Marmion, said the South Coast Highway is a major east-west inter-regional route connecting Ravensthorpe, Boxwood Hill, Jerramungup and Esperance through to Albany.
“This project will include a 2.5km realignment of the highway, directly adjacent to the Cheynes Beach Road intersection, resulting in improved road safety and shorter travel times,” Mr Marmion said.
“Project works are also expected to generate about 30 jobs.”
Western Australian Deputy Premier and Minister for Road Safety, Liza Harvey, said the project would be funded under the Road Trauma Trust Account in 2016-17.
“The existing curve to the east of Cheynes Beach Road has been the site of numerous road train rollovers in the past decade, due to its tight bend and limited seal width,” Ms Harvey said.
“The project will enable the bitumen seal to be widened from six to nine metres, improving safety for all road users travelling on this section of the highway.”
Works are expected to be completed by April 2017.