Tonkin Gap alliance begins works on the $400M major road and rail project

Construction on the Tonkin Highway is expected to ramp up over the coming months. Groundworks are now underway on the northern section of the project.

Crews are also working on enabling works for the Morley-Ellenbrook line, which will run in the median of the Tonkin Highway and underneath the Reid Highway and Tonkin Highway interchange.

When constructed trains will run from the new Bayswater station through two underpasses with dive structures that are being constructed which will allow trains to enter the highway and exit before the new Malaga Station.

New road and bus bridges will be built at Broun Avenue, including a bus interchange station, to provide access to the future Morley Station.

Work on the southern end of the Tonkin Gap project will also begin shortly and will fix one of Perth’s most congested roads, Tonkin Highway between Morley and Redcliffe, which carries more than 120,000 vehicles daily.

Construction will include widening parts of the highway to provide new lanes in each direction, four new bridges and a new Principal Shared path on the western side of the highway.

It’s expected to save 17,000 road users who use this section of Tonkin Highway up to six minutes during morning peak and up to 11 minutes during afternoon peak. Works on this project have been fast tracked to support WA’s COVID-19 economic recovery.

The Tonkin Gap project is being delivered by the Tonkin Gap alliance, comprised of BMD, Georgiou Group, WA Limestone, BG&E and GHD, with contract cost estimated to be $400 million.

Federal Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said the Tonkin Highway Gap and Morley-Ellenbrook rail line would truly be a jobs bonanza for WA with thousands of local jobs created across both projects.

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

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the start of the Morley-Ellenbrook Line enabling works was a significant step in delivering on the McGowan Government’s election commitment.

“Just weeks ago we signed the main construction contract for the Morley-Ellenbrook line,” she said.

“These works will create thousands of local jobs and opportunities for local businesses.”

The full Tonkin Gap project is expected to be complete in late 2023.