A workforce of 231 people, previously employed for the cancelled Roe 8 project, will be reassigned to work on three alternative road upgrades, the Western Australian Government has confirmed.
Funding for the projects is the result of a new Commonwealth-State $2.3 billion agreement that includes the full relocation of funding from the cancelled Perth Freight Link project.
The new agreement safeguards Roe 8 jobs and will relieve congestion in the northern, eastern and southern suburbs of Perth.
“We have worked closely with Main Roads, the Roe 8 Alliance and the Commonwealth Government to bring forward important projects that will relieve congestion, reduce journey times and improve safety in key locations on our road network, said Rita Saffioti, WA Transport Minister.
The alternative projects negotiated from the Roe 8 contract will also create hundreds of other indirect job opportunities for local contractors and suppliers.
According to the State Government, the Roe 8 renegotiation includes the following road projects Wanneroo Road (Joondalup Drive to Flynn Drive) – Constructing Dual Carriageway (Project Costs: $31 million); Fiona Stanley Hospital and Murdoch Activity Centre access from Kwinana Freeway and Roe Highway – (Project Costs: $100 million); and the Armadale Road dual carriageway upgrade between Anstey Road and Tapper Road (Project Costs: $145 million).
Construction on the first of the three projects – the Murdoch Drive connection – is expected to begin almost immediately.