Safety improved on Great Northern Highway with completion of upgrading works

30/11/95

Transport Minister Eric Charlton says safety and efficiency on the Great Northern Highway have been greatly improved with the completion of upgrading works.

The road improvements were carried out over a 15-kilometre section of the highway, 130 kilometres south-west of Kununurra.

The works, which began in May this year, included new bridge crossings over Jailhouse and Little McPhees Creeks, and were completed last week at a cost of $8.4 million.

Mr Charlton said the project saw the last of the 3.7-metre single lanes reconstructed to National Highway standard with a width of seven metres and one metre sealed shoulders.

A Federally funded project, the road was built by MacMahon Contractors WA Pty Ltd.

"Safety for all road users will be increased dramatically on this section of the Great Northern Highway, which has seen a number of fatal accidents in recent years," the Minister said.

The works will also overcome the problem of road closures due to overflowing on the old floodways at Jailhouse and Little McPhees Creeks.

Meanwhile, Mr Charlton said works in the Kimberley under the State's $1 billion Additional Funding Program were already bringing economic benefits to the region, particularly for pastoralists and transporters.

A total of $32 million in AFP and current funding ($20 million AFP) had been allocated for major upgrading of the Derby-Gibb River-Wyndham Road.

More than $500,000 in works were recently completed, which saw the upgrading of three steep inclines, or jump-ups, at Pentecost River, Home Valley and Rollie's, 10 kilometres west of Jack's Hole.

Another $800,000 would be spent next year upgrading the March Fly jump-up and associated road works over five kilometres, with work to commence in May.

Mr Charlton said this important upgrading involved sealing the descents to a seven-kilometre width and drains and kerbing had been installed to prevent the road scouring in heavy rain.

"The work will make it safer for all road users and in particular road train operators who in the past have found it difficult traversing these jump-ups on the unsealed surface," he said.

In many cases, trailers had to be uncoupled and towed separately up these hills at a cost in time, effort and money.

Mr Charlton said pastoralists would also benefit from the improvements. They would be able to move cattle to market immediately after the wet while the stock is in prime condition, whereas before they had to wait for the gravel roads to dry out.

Media contact: Ian Hasleby  (09) 321 7333