The Western Australian Government has awarded a contract for the upgrade of a 225km section of road on the Great Eastern Highway in the Goldfields region.
Western Australian Minister for Transport, Bill Marmion, said the contract had been awarded to WBHO Infrastructure to design and construct 15 new passing lanes by March 2017, with a further 6.7km of additional highway overlay and widening works scheduled for completion by late 2017.
“These new lanes will provide safer passing opportunities and reduce driver frustration along 225km of the highway,” Mr Marmion said.
“There will be eight new eastbound lanes and seven new westbound lanes built between Southern Cross and Kalgoorlie, each with an average length of three kilometres.
“Construction is now underway between Kalgoorlie and Southern Cross and the project will provide direct employment for about 100 people.”
Originally allocated $48 million, the project has come in under budget and will be delivered with $36 million from the Goldfields-Esperance Revitalisation Fund, made possible by the Liberal National Government’s Royalties for Regions program.
Western Australian Minister for Regional Development, Terry Redman, said the Great Eastern Highway played an important role in the regional and national road network.
“This is the primary east-west freight route for Western Australia, the key route for travel between the Goldfields, Perth and the South-West region; forms part of the Perth-Adelaide National Highway; and is the most direct sealed link between Perth and the Eastern States,” Mr Redman said.
“These upgrades will improve travel time and address safety issues that have contributed to vehicle incidents along this road. Royalties for Regions investment in key infrastructure projects is vital to the economic and social development of our regional communities.”
