Work on upgrading Marble Bar-Woodie Woodie road link to stat soon

16/10/97

Transport Minister Eric Charlton has announced that work on upgrading the notoriously poor road link between Marble Bar and Woodie Woodie Roads via Ripon Hills is scheduled to commence later this month.

A $9.1 million tender for the project has been awarded to Henry Walker Contracting Pty Ltd which will see a 39km bitumen road section completed by June 1998 to serve current and proposed mineral resource developments east of Marble Bar.

"People in the region east of Marble Bar, including resources developers, have had to endure extreme road corrugations and dust as well as flood impediments. They have been without a modern transport conduit and this has impacted heavily on their operational costs," Mr Charlton said.

Mr Charlton said the new road was the first stage of the construction of a new 132 km link between Marble Bar and Woodie Woodie Roads. Tenders for the remaining 93km of road would be called next month with work programmed for December next year.

He said the link would provide greater access to resource developments in the Woodie Woodie and Telfer areas and improve mobility for remote Aboriginal communities and pastoralists.

Mr Charlton said the road would be part-funded by mining companies in the region which would benefit by being able to reduce transport costs by having an all-weather link to Port Hedland.

"People operating in the region have had to put up with inferior transportation facilities for years and they deserve this project. It will be a major boost for the area," he said.

The Minister has also announced the awarding of a $1.8 million contract to CSR Emoleum Road Services for resealing works on Great Northern Highway and Victoria Highway in the Kimberley and Marble Bar Road in the Pilbara.

The works, which start this month, will be completed by the end of November.The Minister urged motorists to take all care during the roadworks program.

Media contact: Doug Cunningham (08) 9321 7333