With the Western Australian government’s commitment to safety, a multi-million dollar investment has been made towards heavy vehicle infrastructure.

The state government has pledged more than $6million towards road improvements, rest stops and road train assembly areas across the state to improve heavy vehicle safety.

With 15 projects planned/underway, including road widening projects, alignments, road train and truck parking construction, rest areas and intersection upgrades, local, state and federal governments have combined their resources to establish a pool of around $30million to accomplish these projects – the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program.

“Local, state and federal governments have worked together to create a funding pool of  $30 million to go towards 15 projects aimed at making WA roads safer for trucks,”

“The projects involve increasing the capacity of existing roads and improving connections to the nation’s key freight routes,” WA says.

“When completed, these projects will allow heavy vehicle operators to travel across the country in a safer, quicker and more productive way.”

Source: https://www.fullyloaded.com.au/industry-news/1810/wa-truck-stops-in-line-for-safety-investment

The federal government has contributed more than $13.7million to the program with the state government pledging $6.2 million and the local government pitching in $11million.

The move was commended by the Industry body Western Roads Federation (WRF) as well as Livestock and Rural Transport Association of WA, TransafeWA, the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) and WA transport minister Rita Saffioti in strengthening its own efforts.

Included in present government joint funding highlights is,

• $3.3 million to build a road-train assembly area at the North West Coastal Highway and Madigan Road intersection in Karratha

• $2.8 million to widen and upgrade several key intersections on the Gascoyne Key Route in the Shire of Upper Gascoyne

• $2.2 million to upgrade the intersection of Pippingarra Road and the Great Northern Highway at Newman

• $1 million to widen and strengthen 18.79km of road and build a 40 metre concrete floodway on Baandee North Road near North Baandee.

Source: https://www.fullyloaded.com.au/industry-news/1810/wa-truck-stops-in-line-for-safety-investment

Minister Saffioti said the state is vast and has significant heavy vehicle road traffic especially in regional areas. At present it may not have the infrastructure in place to support the level of freight that it’s experiencing.

Funding will be provided to upgrade existing rest stops as well as build new ones. It will also build new layover bays which will give truckies a chance to take a break or reconfigure their trailers. Larger loads can park up to allow other vehicles in the traffic to pass.

So ultimately the projects will not only benefit heavy vehicle drivers but all road users.