The McGowan Government has allocated $10 million towards the upgrade of 20 regional roads, many of which are highlighted as priorities in the draft Revitalising Agricultural Region Freight Strategy released today.
The funding was highlighted in the McGowan Government's 2019-20 State Budget as Commodity Freight Routes to support roads integral to Western Australia's agrifood industry.
Commodity Freight Routes are known, identified routes that serve a significant high priority transport task associated with the transportation of commodities such as grain, livestock, timber, agricultural lime and minerals.
Upgrading these routes will reduce existing inefficiencies in delivering agricultural produce to market and improve safety for all road users.
The works will be delivered by the relevant local government with financial oversight by Main Roads Western Australia.
Last July, Main Roads called for project applications via the current Regional Road Group structure.
A Technical Review Group assessed all the proposals, ranked them accordingly and made a recommendation to the State Road Funds to Local Government Advisory Committee.
As stated by Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:
"The McGowan Government is undertaking a massive program over major regional road upgrades across the State.
"To complement these works, Commodity Freight Routes takes a more precise approach by making small improvements on many roads that will make a big difference to industry.
"In the McGowan Labor Government's first State Budget, we started by increasing the overall regional road budget by 20 per cent over the previous year.
"On top of record capital expenditure on desperately needed projects and upgrades throughout Western Australia, we also ramped up the spend on maintenance, which had been neglected by the previous government."
As stated by Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan:
"This funding will not only improve road safety and efficiency for our freight and agricultural industries but also for road users travelling across the State.
"Upgrading these top 20 priority locations will be critical to supporting our regional primary producers, who rely heavily on the State's freight routes."
The approved projects in the various regional shires include:
Shire of Corrigin:
- Resurfacing 11.98km of Bulyee Road in 2019-20
Shire of Dandaragan:
- Reconstructing and drainage improvements to 1.7km of North West Road in 2019-20
Shire of Dowerin:
- Reconstructing, resurfacing and drainage improvements to 3.3km of Dowerin-Koorda Road in 2019-20
Shire of Goomalling:
- Reconstructing 5.84km of Goomalling-Calingiri Road in 2019-20
Shire of Kellerberrin:
- Reconstructing, widening and drainage improvements to 2.92km of Kellerberrin-Bencubbin Road in 2019-20
- Reconstructing, resealing, reshaping and drainage improvements to 1.04km of Mather Road in 2019-20
- Reshaping, resurfacing, stabilising and drainage improvements to 2.38km of Dowding Road in 2019-20
Shire of Mingenew:
- Widening 9.51km of Coalseam Road in 2019-20
Shire of Moora:
- Reconstructing 18km of Miling North Road in 2019-20
Shire of Narrogin:
- Stabilising and resealing 2.83km of Cooraminning Road in 2019-20
Shire of Northam:
- Widening and resealing 3.07km of Southern Brook Road in 2019-20
Shire of Pingelly:
- Geometry improvements and widening to 2.79km of Wickepin Pingelly Road in 2019-20
Shire of Plantagenet:
- Resealing and stabilising 5.89km of Woogenellup Road in 2019-20
- Resurfacing 7.87km of Chillinup Road in 2019-20
- Second sealing of 4.32km of Palmdale Road in 2020-21
- Second sealing of 6.46km of Yellanup Road in 2020-21
- Reconstructing 11.45km of Mallawillup Road in 2019-20
Shire of Wongan-Ballidu:
- Reconstructing and widening 2km of Hospital Road in 2019-20
Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley:
- Design work for 10.65km of Carlton Hill Road in 2019-20
Shire of Yilgarn:
- Reconstructing 2.2km of Bodallin South Road in 2019-20
Final Local Government Commodity Freight Route.jpg
