Gateway WA project

Construction of the $1bn Gateway WA Project has passed the halfway mark, with completion scheduled by mid-2016.

The Australian Government granted $676m and Western Australia (WA) has allocated $310m for the Gateway WA project, which is claimed to be the largest road project in Perth.

Australia’s Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Jaime Briggs said that the project will deliver a fully upgraded road network around the consolidated Perth Airport terminal and nearby Kewdale and Forrestfield industrial estates when complete.

"Positive effects will be felt across the city as major elements of the upgrade are progressively opened to traffic."

"This game-changing project, which is supporting 1,300 construction jobs, will significantly improve access around the airport and surrounding industrial areas, meaning businesses can get their products to market more quickly and efficiently," Briggs said.

"This is another example of two adult governments working together to build world-class infrastructure that will create thousands of new jobs, slash travel times for motorists and help unlock the economic capacity of Western Australia".

WA transport minister Dean Nalder said the project reached 60% stage of the construction programme and represents a significant milestone for the Gateway WA Perth Airport and Freight Access Project.

"As the second half of the project advances, positive effects will be felt across the city as major elements of the upgrade are progressively opened to traffic," Nalder said.

"The improvements within the Kewdale Industrial Precinct are finishing and four of the five new interchanges will come on stream before the end of the year."

Work on the project’s construction packages began in the third quarter of 2013 and its completion date has been brought forward from early 2017 and is now aimed for a mid-2016 finish.

Gateway WA has already awarded contracts worth approximately $400m and engaged suppliers for the provision of goods worth roughly $24m.

Work under the project includes the construction and upgrade of five main interchanges, the widening of Tonkin Highway to six lanes between Great Eastern Highway and Roe Highway and renovations to Leach Highway between Tonkin Highway and Orrong Road.

An alliance made up of Leighton Contractors, Georgiou, GHD, AECOM and BG&E together with Main Roads WA are delivering the Gateway WA project.

Photo: Work involves improvements around Perth Airport, as well as the nearby Kewdale and Forrestfield industrial estates, including extra lanes on Tonkin Highway. Photo: courtesy of Leighton Contractors.