- Major road improvements delivered as part of $19.6 million investment at Port of Esperance
- Upgrades to improve safety and efficiencies for heavy vehicles and road users
- Supply chain investment to support more than five million tonnes of trade annually
The first stage of upgrades to improve the safety and longevity of the Port of Esperance's sole heavy vehicle access route has been completed.
The upgrades include the installation of 920 tonnes of asphalt and close to one hectare of road pavement, as well as new drainage, kerbing, and new safety barriers.
The works have also delivered a new truck layover area configured to improve the flow of truck movements along the road.
The upgrades to Hughes Road are part of the Cook Labor Government's $19.6 million Road Improvement Program for the Port of Esperance.
Future upgrades will involve reconfiguring the port's access intersection to better accommodate the growth in movements of larger B-triple trucks, as well as further works reconstructing degraded areas of road pavement.
As stated by Ports Minister David Michael:
"Hughes Road is a crucial link in the Port of Esperance supply chain as the sole heavy access road in and out of the port, facilitating more than five million tonnes of trade over the past year.
"Significant growth has occurred at the port since the road's construction four decades ago, with new and diverse commodities welcomed to accommodate the rapid expansion of the battery and other critical minerals trade and other markets.
"This critical supply route underpins the agriculture sector, with more than 3.4 million tonnes of grain and 270,000 tonnes of fertiliser delivered to and from the port.
"The road is now significantly safer and better equipped to handle the continued diverse trade opportunities facilitated by Southern Ports.
"The Cook Government is committed to ensuring infrastructure at our ports allows them to facilitate growing trade opportunities which play a vital role in Western Australia's economy."
As stated by Agricultural Region MLC Shelley Payne:
"Hughes Road is integral to the smooth operation of the Port of Esperance while also minimising the interaction between heavy vehicles and the local community.
"It's fantastic to see the first stage of upgrades complete and I look forward to future opportunities that the road paves the way for."
