Joint media statement - More than $250 million of regional road upgrades rolling out across Western Australia

More than $250 million of road safety upgrades will be rolled out across approximately 4,000 kilometres of regional Western Australian roads this financial year, reducing the risk of run-off-road crashes and supporting local jobs.

Funded through the Regional Road Safety Program, low cost treatments such as sealing existing unsealed road shoulders and installing audible edge or centre lines to warn drivers who veer over the white line, will be delivered across the State.

The Regional Road Safety Program is jointly funded by the Commonwealth and Western Australian Governments, with an initial $100 million of works underway already, and another $158 million allocated to be spent by the end of this financial year.  

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the Australian Government had allocated billions of dollars to road improvements across regional Australia.

"We committed $500 million for targeted road safety upgrades across Australia as part of our infrastructure stimulus package in June, as well as an additional $2 billion for the Road Safety Program in the 2020-21 Budget," the Deputy Prime Minister said.

"This funding will be rolled out on a 'use it or lose it basis', which means the delivery of life-saving upgrades to regional roads across Western Australia is on the horizon.

"This is also about supporting local jobs and providing a welcome boost to local economies at the same time - we are backing our regions to drive the nation's economic recovery."

The Australian Government's funding for the Road Safety Program is subject to 'use it or lose it' provisions and will deliver life-saving treatments to regional roads across Western Australia, while also supporting local jobs and providing a welcome boost to local economies.

The 'use it or lose it' provisions require States and Territories to use their notionally allocated funds within a timeframe, or the funds can be reallocated to projects in other jurisdictions.

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan said the program would roll out more potential lifesaving treatments on up to 7,000 kilometres of roads across regional Western Australia.

"As the economy rebuilds we have more people getting back to business and work, as well as people choosing to 'Wander out Yonder' in our beautiful State, it's important we make sure our roads are as safe as possible for all users," Premier McGowan said.

"This tranche of funding will provide much needed upgrades to key roads all across our State from the Kimberley to the Great Southern, supporting local jobs and providing a much-needed economic boost to the regions."

Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport Scott Buchholz said regional roads were vital to the economy-shaping work of the State's freight fleet.

"From Western Australia's world-class wool to the thriving iron-ore exports, local truckies work hard travelling the regional road network to keep the economy ticking along and businesses running by getting goods to markets," Assistant Minister Buchholz said.

"By funding road safety programs like this, we are continuing to support the economy-shaping work while ensuring they make it home safe at the end of each trip - nothing is more important than that."

Western Australian Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said work on the 34 projects funded by the $100 million were already underway with another 62 projects, worth $158 million to get off the ground.

"We have worked hard to secure this money and by the end of the financial year low cost treatments such as shoulder widening and the installation of audible edge lines will be rolled out across 4,000 kilometres of rural roads," Ms Saffioti said.

"This jointly funded program will make a huge difference to our regional roads, providing potentially lifesaving treatments such as shoulder widening and the installation of audible edge lines."

Federal Member for Canning Andrew Hastie, who was on site today, said funding provided through the Program delivers cost-efficient improvements that make travelling safer for locals and tourists in regional Western Australia.

"The Canning electorate will benefit from over $21 million in Program funding for a range of works, improving regional roads throughout Murray-Wellington, Darling Range and Mandurah," Mr Hastie said.

Key projects funded through this tranche include more than $8 million for upgrades to Great Northern Highway, more than $7 million for North West Coastal Highway and more than $5 million for upgrades to Albany Highway in Wagin.

The $455 million commitment to improve road safety across the State is jointly funded by the Australian and Western Australian Governments.

Premier's office - 6552 5000

Transport Minister's office - 6552 5500

Road Name/ Corridor		Length     (Km)	Treatments To Be Applied Mass action treatments and/or targeted location treatments	Region	July 2020 allocation ($100 million)	January 2021 allocation ($158 million)
1	Albany Highway (Cranbrook to Mount Barker)	39.0	Sealing  shoulders on existing formation and install audible edge lines	Great Southern		4,440,150
2	Albany Highway (end of dual carriageway to Gleneagles)	15.6	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	Metro	1,435,200
3	Albany Highway (Gleneagles to Williams)	105.7	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	Wheatbelt	8,456,000
4	Albany Highway (Kojonup Airport to Kojonup Town)	7.6	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	Great Southern	590,460
5	Albany Highway (Mount Barker to Albany)	43.7	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	Great Southern	4,020,400
6	Albany Highway (Williams to Arthur River)	38.0	Sealing shoulders on existing formation and install audible edge lines	Wheatbelt		5,169,093
7	Bannister Marradong Rd (Albany Highway to Boddington)	4.0	Seal shoulders on widened formation and install audible edge lines	South West		2,796,200
8	Bindoon Moora Rd (Boxhall Road to Purser Road)	25.5	Seal shoulders on existing formation, enabling works required (drainage), install audible edge lines	Wheatbelt		2,903,175
9	Boyanup Picton Road (Boyanup to Dardanup)	9.3	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	South West	601,900
10	Brand Highway (Cooljarloo to Badgingarra)	31.8	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	Mid West - Gascoyne	3,180,000
11	Brockman Highway (Wright Road to Stewart Road)	26.2	Seal shoulders on existing formation and install audible edge lines	South West		2,216,599
12	Brookton Highway (Canning Road to Regional Boundary)	25.5	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	Metro	2,347,200
13	Brookton Highway (Regional Boundary to Brookton)	72.3	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	Wheatbelt	5,476,800
14	Brookton Highway (Karlgarin Nature Reserve)	4.8	Seal shoulders on widened formation and install audible edge lines	Wheatbelt		1,866,480
15	Brookton Highway (Kondinin to Carlson Road)	9.4	Seal shoulders on widened formation and install audible edge lines	Wheatbelt		1,796,036
16	Burkett Road (North West Coastal Hwy to Minilya Exmouth Road)	78.5	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	Mid West - Gascoyne	4,700,000
17	Calingiri-Wongan Hills Road (Wilding Rd to Cemetary Rd)	38.0	Seal shoulders on existing formation and install audible edge lines	Wheatbelt		3,072,300
18	Chester Pass Road (South Coast Highway to Stirling Ranges National Park)	5.8	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	Great Southern	467,200
19	Chidlow-York Road (east of St Ronans)	2.3	Road realignment and overlay, sealing of shoulders and install audible edge lines	Wheatbelt		5,500,000
20	Coalfields Highway (Gibbs Siding Road to Clarke Road)	26.8	Install audible edge lines	Wheatbelt		265,320
21	Coalfields Highway (Roelands to Worsley)	11.7	Install audible edge lines	South West	461,000
22	Collie-Preston Road (Collie to South of Horrocks Road)	6.8	Install audible edge lines	South West		77,732
23	Collie-Preston Road (Collie to South of Horrocks Road)	6.8	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation	South West	393,240
24	Collie-Preston Road (Horrocks Road to Mumballup)	13.7	Install audible edge lines	South West		158,466
25	Coolgardie-Esperance Highway - Emu Rocks	4.2	Safety improvements involving road realignment, shoulder sealing, and install audible edge and centre lines	Goldfields Esperance		10,010,000
26	Eyre Highway (Caiguna to SA Border)	351.0	Install audible edge lines	Goldfields Esperance		3,088,800
27	Eyre Highway (Norseman to SA Border)	721.0	Install audible centre lines	Goldfields Esperance		2,071,889
28	Great Eastern Highway (Coolgardie to West of Mungari Road)	15.0	Seal shoulders on existing formation, enabling works required (drainage) and install audible edge lines	Goldfields Esperance		4,237,750
29	Great Eastern Highway (Cunderdin to Tammin)	24.1	Seal shoulders on existing formation and install audible edge lines	Wheatbelt		1,948,485
30	Great Eastern Highway (East of Bodallin Road to West of Liddell Road	13.6	Seal shoulders on widened formation, including overlay and install audible edge lines	Wheatbelt		6,018,606
31	Great Eastern Highway (Ghooli to Boorabbin Rest Area)	49.4	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	Goldfields - Esperance	4,185,000
32	Great Eastern Highway (Kellerberrin to Walgoorlan)	90.3	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	Wheatbelt	5,869,500
33	Great Eastern Highway (Northam Bypass)	11.7	Seal shoulders on existing formation and install audible edge lines	Wheatbelt		945,945
34	Great Eastern Highway (Tammin to Kellerberrin)	21.7	Seal shoulders on existing formation and install audible edge lines	Wheatbelt		1,754,445
35	Great Northern Highway (Ashburton Downs Meekatharra Road to Kumarina)	75.0	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	Mid West - Gascoyne	7,803,120
36	Great Northern Highway (Broome Turnoff to Derby Turnoff)	146.0	Install audible edge lines	Kimberley		990,000
37	Great Northern Highway (Derby Turnoff to North of Camballin Road)	35.0	Install audible edge lines	Kimberley		346,104
38	Great Northern Highway (Halls Creek to Ord River Crossing)	37.8	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	Kimberley	2,352,000
39	Great Northern Highway (Near Lagrange Turnoff)	39.0	Seal shoulders on existing formation and install audible edge lines	Kimberley		3,953,442
40	Great Northern Highway (Near Leopold Downs Road)	10.9	Install audible edge lines	Kimberley		113,905
41	Great Northern Highway (near Mt Robinson Rest Area and Karijini Drive Turnoff)	43.3	Seal shoulders on existing formation and install audible edge lines	Pilbara		6,668,200
42	Great Northern Highway (Newman to Hope Downs 4 Mine Site Turnoff)	33.5	Seal shoulders on existing formation and install audible edge lines	Pilbara		5,159,000
43	Great Northern Highway (Newman to Mount Robinson Rest Area)	71.9	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	Pilbara	8,628,000
44	Great Northern Highway (North of Goldwyns Camp Access to Roebuck)	61.0	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	Kimberley	6,097,000
45	Great Northern Highway (North of Halls Creek)	42.8	Install audible edge lines	Kimberley		251,707
46	Great Northern Highway (Paynes Find to Oudabunna Station)	26.7	Seal shoulders on existing formation, enabling works required (drainage) and install audible edge lines lines	Mid West Gascoyne		6,004,767
47	Great Northern Highway (South Camballin Road to Erskine Range)	29.8	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	Kimberley	3,480,000
48	Great Northern Highway (South of Broome Turnoff)	9.2	Install audible edge lines	Kimberley		90,585
49	Great Northern Highway (South of Fitzroy Crossing to Halls Creek)	278.0	Install audible edge lines	Kimberley		2,752,200
50	Great Northern Highway (South of Ord River)	20.4	Install audible edge lines	Kimberley		119,855
51	Great Southern Highway (Narrogin to Wagin)	46.7	Install audible edge lines	Wheatbelt		462,528
52	Great Southern Highway (York to Gwambygine)	9.3	Seal shoulders on existing formation and install audible edge lines	Wheatbelt		1,058,805
53	Greenlands Road	5.6	Install audible edge lines	South West		215,600
54	Indian Ocean Drive (Cervantes to Jurien Bay)	22.0	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	Mid West - Gascoyne	1,758,400
55	Indian Ocean Drive (Lancelin to Nilgen)	9.1	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	Mid West - Gascoyne	728,800
56	Indian Ocean Drive (Nilgen to Cervantes)	67.6	Install audible edge lines	Mid West Gascoyne		371,965
57	Indian Ocean Drive (Yanchep National Park to Log Road)	8.9	Seal shoulders on widened formation and install audible edge lines	Mid West Gascoyne		2,200,000
58	Laverton-Leonora Rd (East of Leonora)	9.9	Seal shoulders on existing formation and install audible edge lines	Goldfields Esperance		907,478
59	Mandurah Road (Lakelands to Mandjoogoordap Drive)	7.8	Asphalt Low Cost Shoulder Sealing	South West		2,061,840
60	Minilya Exmouth Road (North of Coral Bay to South of Ningaloo Station Turnoff)	23.0	Seal shoulders on widened formation and install audible edge lines	Mid West Gascoyne		7,678,550
61	Muir Highway (Denmark-Mount Barker Road to Mount Barker)	12.3	Seal shoulders on existing formation and install audible edge lines	Great Southern		872,201
62	North West Coastal Hwy (North of Wooramel Roadhouse)	18.3	Seal shoulders on existing formation, enabling works required (drainage) and install audible edge lines	Mid West Gascoyne		7,104,289
63	Northam Cranbrook Road (Broomehill-Jerramungup Road to Tambellup)	24.9	Widen sealed shoulders to current formation and install audible edge lines	Great Southern	2,748,000
Sidebar Published 8 January 2021 Ministers Hon. Mark McGowan Premier; Treasurer; Minister for Public Sector Management; Federal-State Relations Hon. Rita Saffioti Minister for Transport; Planning; Ports See all media statements from this Government