The Western Australian Government has awarded a contract to deliver the $386.5 million Great Eastern Highway Bypass Interchanges project.
The contract was awarded to the Greater Connect consortium, comprising Laing O’Rourke, AECOM, and Arcadis.
Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, Paul Fletcher, said the project would bust congestion and improve safety for traffic across the Hazelmere and Forrestfield industrial and freight distribution centres.
“This project is receiving $247.25 million of funding from the Morrison Government, part of our $110 billion, ten year infrastructure pipeline,” Mr Fletcher said.
“We are investing in critical infrastructure in Western Australia to lay the foundations for economic recovery on the other side of COVID-19 and this project forms part of that.”
Western Australian Minister for Transport and Planning, Rita Saffioti, said procurement for the upgrades had been streamlined to boost the state’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and would support up to 2,700 jobs.
“Drivers from Perth’s eastern suburbs and hills would be familiar with peak hour queues at these intersections, and our package of works will vastly improve traffic flow in these areas,” Ms Saffioti said.
“Along with creating hundreds of jobs and supporting local businesses, the finished product will provide critical new connections for Perth’s transport network.
“This complements a range of other works underway in the area including the new interchange at Kalamunda Road and Roe Highway and upgrades to Tonkin Highway.”
Two new major interchanges will be built as part of the project.
The second interchange will replace the current signalised intersection at Roe Highway and Great Eastern Highway Bypass. This will improve safety and traffic flow on a section of road used by more than 60,000 vehicles per day.
Federal Member for Swan, Steve Irons, said there are further upgrades to be undertaken as part of the Great Eastern Highway Bypass Interchanges project.
“These include upgrading the Great Eastern Highway Bypass between the new interchanges and the Lloyd Street connection north of Great Eastern Highway Bypass,” Mr Irons said.
“It will also include upgrading parts of Abernethy Road, upgrading Roe Highway between Great Eastern Highway Bypass and Clayton Street, a new bridge over the Helena River completing the extension of Lloyd Street from Clayton Street to Stirling Crescent and new shared paths, including lighting and barriers.”
State Member for Belmont, Cassie Rowe, said the works would help address major bottlenecks on the local road network.
“The current traffic light system has created significant safety and congestion issues over the years,” Ms Rowe said.
“Building new interchanges will drastically improve safety while enhancing traffic flow.”
The works package will join other projects already under construction or in procurement in Perth’s eastern suburbs, including the Roe Highway-Kalamunda Road grade-separated interchange and METRONET’s Bellevue Railcar Facility and Midland Station projects.
Early works are expected to start mid-2021 and completion is expected by mid-2024 subject to environmental and statutory approvals.
