The Australian and Western Australian Governments has announced the preferred routes for traffic bypasses around the Wheatbelt towns of Miling and Wubin, with construction to start in the next two years.
The bypass at Miling will be a 4.1-kilometre route east of town, estimated to cost $25 million.
The bypass at Wubin will be a 5.5-kilometre route east of the town, estimated to cost $20 million.
Works are set to begin by mid-2016 and 2017 on each bypass respectively.
Assistant Minister for Infrastructure Jamie Briggs said in a statement that the bypasses will help boost the economic capacity of the region by providing a safer and more efficient link for freight operators, with reduced operating costs and travel time savings.
“These vital upgrades are part of the Australian and Western Australian Governments’ $420 million Great Northern Highway, Muchea to Wubin project, and their construction will support 100 new jobs,” he said.
“With construction underway on a number of upgrades along the Great Northern Highway, we are wasting no time building better and safer roads for Western Australia to ensure our primary producers can get their products to market more quickly and at less cost.”
WA Minister for Transport Dean Nalder said in a statement that the State Government worked closely with the communities and stakeholders to identify the preferred road alignments for the bypasses.
“A number of options were identified and presented to the local communities for feedback, enabling Main Roads to gain a better understanding of issues and constraints and to recommend an ultimate option for each of the towns,” he said.
“Intersections at Wubin will be upgraded to cater for the larger freight vehicles so that local businesses can continue to operate and trucks that desire to stop in town can do so.
“An eastern bypass of Miling reflects the desires of the community by moving heavy freight vehicles away from the main street which also contains the primary school and is supported by the Shire of Moora as the preferred option.”
The $420 million upgrade of the Great Northern Highway between Muchea and Wubin is 80 per cent Commonwealth funded and 20 per cent by the WA Government.