THE WA Government has named Leighton as its key contractor for the controversial Roe 8 project as angry protesters rallied against the highway extension.
The project, a 5km extension of Roe Highway from Kwinana Freeway to Stock Road is expected to cost less than $500 million.
The announcement follows last week’s granting by the Federal Government of conditional environmental approval for the project.
Led by Leighton Contractors, the project consortium will include Georgiou Group, WA Limestone, GHD, AECOM and civil and structural engineering consultants BG&E.
Works will commence in early 2016, creating 600 jobs for West Australians.
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Premier Colin Barnett said the construction contract would be signed later this year and that Roe 8 was an “essential” piece of infrastructure for WA.
“This is a key milestone in the journey to delivering a safer, more efficient road network in Perth’s southern suburbs,” he said.
Roe 8 will take 5,000 trucks off local roads and make it easier for people to access Fiona Stanley Hospital while delivering faster journey times for people who live and work south of the river.
“Critically, it will provide the necessary transport infrastructure to support the current port and associated commercial areas of Fremantle, as well as ensuring access to a future port facility to the south.”
Transport Minister Dean Nalder said Leighton’s proposal included an “innovative” road layout at the Kwinana Freeway/Roe Highway interchange that will enhance road safety and traffic efficiency.
“We’re in a very fortunate position,” he said.
There’s been a downturn in the construction industry, there’s competitive pricing and it’s a great opportunity to construct insfrastracture projects and create Perth jobs.
“This is a great outcome for Western Australia.”
Mr Barnett also acknowledged the Federal Government’s funding contribution to the project.
“Tens of thousands of people using Leach Highway are being exposed to unnecessary risk because it was never designed to carry such a volume of trucks and cars,” he said.
“Between 2009 and 2013, more than 72 per cent of crashes on Leach Highway were rear-end collisions.
“That is significantly higher than the metropolitan region average of 43.5 per cent. The current stop-start traffic is a major contributing factor.
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At least 20 outraged protesters came to the announcement on Beeliar Drive on Tuesday.
Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren reiterated the campaign may be the Franklin Dam campaign of this century.
“You have seen it today there’s a commitment here that hasn’t been shown in any other environmental battle in our recent times,” she said.
“In the same way we taught the premier the shark cull could not continue we will teach the Premier that Roe 8 will not be built.”
Tasmania’s Franklin Dam was a famous victory for environmentalists after a controversial plan to dam the Franklin River, hatched in the late 1970s, was eventually scrapped in 1983 after widespread protest.
Wetlands Conservation Society secretary Felicity McGeorge told PerthNow the North Lake reserve was “unique” and the State Government was going to destroy it.
I’ve lived in Bibra Lake for 33 years and worked on the campaign against Roe 8 for more than 20 years,” she said.
“They keep saying there’s a mystical gap underneath the power line, there’s not, the gap is two metres wide and it’s all thick vegetation.
“That vegetation is growing through Perth’s most complex suite of wetlands. There’s endangered black cockatoos living here.”
The environmental approvals included two wetland bridges built over Roe Swamp and Horse Paddock Swamp, and building the road on land already partially cleared for overhead power lines.
It also includes a 523 hectare land offset package and fauna underpasses.
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