WA’s Coolgardie-Esperance Highway Upgrade progressing -

Traditional Owner Aunty Elizabeth presenting a Welcome to Country to the project team, courtesy of Main Roads Western Australia

Begun in January 2021, upgrades to the 30 kilometre stretch between Widgiemooltha and Kambalda, as part of the are Coolgardie-Esperance Highway Upgrade in Western Australia, are almost complete.

Section one of the upgrade between Widgiemooltha and Kambalda saw reconstructing and realigning of the north section of the Goldfields Highway, with the third section seeing works to widen and seal the south section of the Goldfields Highway.

Construction of the south section between the Goldfields Highway intersection and Widgiemooltha, known as Emu Rocks South is a crucial transport route, forming part of the Perth to Adelaide route on the National Land Transport Network and is a key freight route through the Goldfields Esperance Region.

Approximately two million tonnes are transported on this route annually, with 34 per cent of traffic estimated to be heavy vehicles.

The project created an estimated 270 jobs with the project utilising heavy equipment from aboriginal businesses.

According to a statement released by Main Roads Western Australia, of these jobs, targets have been met for Aboriginal participants with 14 out of 49 workers on site consisting of Aboriginal woman and locals from Kambalda and Kalgoorlie.

Section one and three of the projects are expected to be finished by mid 2021 with the remaining sections being completed after winter.