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Roads budget provides boost to the regions

Country road funding to create jobs and keep Western Australia’s regions moving represents a major proportion of the McGowan Government’s first roads budget.

The 2017-18 State Budget includes more than $550 million towards capital works projects across rural WA and $590 million on recurrent works, including road maintenance and allocations for local government roads. This is a 20 per cent increase on the previous year’s Budget for regional roads.

Overall, regional road expenditure represents just over 50 per cent of the State’s total spending on roads.

The funding will go towards a range of election commitments, ongoing projects and safety initiatives to address the concerning road toll in the regions.

New works included in the 2017-18 Budget includes:

  • $35 million contribution for Albany Ring Road;
  • $30 million for South Coast Highway (Albany to Jerramungup);
  • $12.5 million for Bunbury Outer Ring Road (stage two and three planning);
  • $14 million for the duplication of Great Eastern Highway (Gatacre Drive to Anzac Drive, Kalgoorlie);
  • $50 million to construct the next stage of the Karratha to Tom Price Road; and
  • $8 million for upgrading works on the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway.

Fixing dangerous country roads is one of the Government’s top priorities in regional WA.


Read more: Delivering more police and resources to make our community and roads safer


This year’s Budget includes a major boost for road safety with the implementation of a Regional Road Safety Program directed at addressing priority projects agreed with the Federal Government.

The Government is addressing the disproportionately high road trauma in country areas by allocating $18.5 million to recruit and establish the Regional Enforcement Unit. This unit of 25 officers will provide a highly visual policing presence on regional roads.

A significant package of works will be developed to address high-risk sections of the rural road network.

While the full package of agreed Regional Road Safety Program projects will be finalised later this year, the first of the projects to be funded under this scheme is the construction of four new passing lanes on Indian Ocean Drive.

For more 2017-18 State Budget information, visit http://www.ourstatebudget.wa.gov.au


Source: Government of Western Australia.