$400M contract awarded for Tonkin Gap project in WA

The Tonkin Gap project in WA has been fast-tracked to unlock local jobs with the award of a $400 million contract.

Tonkin Gap Alliance comprising BMD, Georgiou Group, WA Limestone, BG&E and GHD have been awarded the contract and will work with Main Roads and the Public Transport Authority to deliver the project. Construction is expected to begin in September.

Works on the project will include additional traffic lanes in each direction between Collier Road and Dunreath Drive, five new bridges, upgrades to the Guildford Road and Great Eastern Highway interchanges, a Principal Shared Path, noise walls, lighting and amenity improvements.

Additional public transport improvements will also be made as part of the project such as the construction of underpasses and dive structures on the Morley-Ellenbrook Line and road and bus bridges will be built at Broun Avenue to provide access to the future Morley Station.

Upgrades to the road are anticipated to fix a major bottleneck on the Tonkin Highway through Bayswater which sees more than 120,000 vehicles every day.

It is expected to save 17,000 daily users of the Dunreath Drive to Collier Road section up to six minutes in the morning and 11 minutes in the afternoon peak.

Premier Mark McGowan said this project is part of a pipeline of major road projects for Western Australia, worth an estimated $2.37 billion and creating more than 13,000 jobs.

“This is one of WA’s most congested sections of roads. I’m glad we have been able to fast-track works and help support the WA economy in the process,” Mr. McGowan said.

“As our economy begins to recover from the effects of COVID-19, it’s important we keep major infrastructure projects moving – to build and develop communities for generations to come and to support local workers in jobs.”

Federal Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said the Tonkin Highway Gap would provide a jobs bonanza for WA.

“Not only is this critical infrastructure that the Morrison Government has prioritised, it also means thousands of jobs for hard working West Australians,” Mr. Tudge said.

“It’s crucial that we support the WA economy as we come out the other side of COVID and fast-tracking projects like the Tonkin Highway Gap is part of our plan.”

WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said this was one of the major road projects the McGowan Government had worked to fast track to help the economy recover from COVID-19.

“This project has a number of important features including a new principal shared path for cyclists and pedestrians as well as noise walls and amenities,” Ms. Saffioti said.

“Building this project, combined with construction of other nearby major projects like the new Bayswater Station and Morley-Ellenbrook Line, will help support the WA economy through some tough times ahead.”

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