A dangerous stretch of road in Western Australia has been upgraded and opened to traffic
Critical road safety upgrades on an 11-kilometre section of the Great Northern Highway in Western Australia are complete.
The stretch of highway between Bindi Bindi and Lyons East Road was opened to traffic this week.
The Bindi Bindi Curves Upgrade was jointly funded by the Australian and Western Australian governments.
Assistant Minister for Infrastructure Jamie Briggs says the Bindi Bindi project has been completed on time and on budget, and would help increase the economic performance of the highway.
“Upgrading this major freight and tourist route to a world class standard is essential to keeping motorists safe, supporting economic growth and driving further investment in the Western Australian mining, oil and gas industry,” he says.
“We are committed to delivering better and safer roads throughout Western Australia particularly on key freight corridors to ensure our primary producers can get their products to market more quickly and at less cost. “
This section of the highway is part of the main link between Perth and Darwin and has recorded a number of fatal head-on collisions in recent years.
“Heavy vehicle operators and tourists heading to the north of Western Australia would welcome the completion of this critical safety project and we thank motorists for their patience during construction,” says Briggs.
Western Australian Minister for Transport Dean Nalder says the State Government welcomed the input of local communities, landowners and freight operators who offered suggestions about the upgrade.
“Works included a new rail crossing at the Ballidu-Bindi Bindi Road intersection and more overtaking opportunities,” he says.
“The project will improve safety on this stretch of road and increase efficiency as a result of fewer delays. Road users can also expect improved reliability with more consistent and predictable travel times.”
The Bindi Bindi Project is the first stage of the $420 million overall upgrade of the highway between Muchea and Wubin, with the second stage between Batty Bog Road and Walebing currently under construction.