LEACH HIGHWAY–WELSHPOOL ROAD INTERSECTION —
UPGRADE
381. MR S.J. PRICE to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the vital role that will be played by the McGowan
government's record investment in transport projects in supporting Western
Australia's economy through COVID-19. Can the minister update the house
on the work that is underway to upgrade the Leach Highway–Welshpool
Road intersection, and can the minister advise the house how this project will
support local business and help protect jobs?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI
replied:
I thank the member for
Forrestfield for that question and for his interest in not only road projects,
but also job-creating projects across Western Australia. Members will
know that the Leach Highway–Welshpool Road intersection ranks amongst
the worst in the state—it is the second-worst intersection in the state
for crashes and the seventh most-congested intersection. In the 2019–20
state budget, the McGowan government allocated $46.5 million to jointly fund
with the commonwealth government a $93 million project for a new interchange at
that location. It is expected to create 400
jobs. We have been able to bring this project forward as part of our economic
recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic; it is another infrastructure
project that has been brought forward.
The Premier might remember that special day at the
intersection and that car and the mullet.
Mr M. McGowan: I have a lot
of experiences with cars and mullets!
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI: I wish I had
never gone there!
It is a very special project. We
brought forward by seven months the opening of submissions for proposals to
design and construct this project. Up to 50 000 vehicles travel through this
intersection daily, making it one of the most congested and dangerous
intersections in our state. These upgrades will not only create a safer and
more efficient intersection but also create and support local jobs. It was
initially anticipated that the contract would be awarded in February next year,
but the government is bringing it forward to August, with construction
commencing later this year. This is just part of the 24 road projects the government
is fast-tracking across the state, including, of
course, the Fremantle Traffic Bridge, the Albany ring-road, the Bunbury Outer
Ring Road, the Tonkin gap project and the Mitchell Freeway extension.
This is billions of dollars of projects to create jobs and investment certainty
in Western Australia.