The construction of a controversial $ 1.25 billion diversion road in South Western Australia has been given the green light after it has been halted by a lengthy environmental assessment.
Key points:
- The Bunbury outer ring road has removed all environmental barriers
- It allows to begin the construction of the contentious southern stage
- The road will cost $ 46 million per kilometer
The 27-mile Bunbury Outer Ring Road will drive traffic around WA’s second largest city to create a more direct route between Perth and the Margaret River tourist region.
Construction was already well advanced on the northern part of the road, however, the southern link has been tied with environmental green ribbon amid strong opposition from the local community.
The highway crosses the semi-rural suburb of Gelorup in a decades-long road reserve.
Local residents have been fighting for the road to be diverted to their community, citing environmental and equipment concerns.
But Main Roads WA has confirmed that all environmental approvals have now been reached, paving the way for construction on the final stretch to begin in the coming weeks.
“Federal approval was received in late June,” a spokesman said.
“Now the main roads will work to meet all the relevant conditions to start construction.”
The project was scheduled to be open to traffic in 2024. (ABC South West: Gian De Poloni)
Approval by the federal Department of the Environment was the last important step in the process before construction began on the southern stretch.
In its consent, the department limited major roads to a strict set of environmental conditions to minimize impacts on local flora and fauna, including the endangered black cockatoo of Carnaby, and the western opossum.
A spokesman for the department described the process as “rigorous”.
The “devastated” premises
Sue Chapman, a resident of Gelorup, said she was devastated to learn that the government had considered the project green.
“It’s scary. Obviously we’re incredibly disappointed with the alleged environmental process at both the state and federal levels,” Dr. Chapman said.
A map of the southern section of the Bunbury outer ring road. (ABC South West: Asha Couch)
Dr. Chapman is part of a local road pressure group and said the group would not surrender to prevent the ring road from continuing in its current form.
“We have written a letter to [Environment Minister] Tanya Plibersek detailing our concerns about the conditions that have been put in the construction of this road, ”he said.
“We feel very strongly that the main roads will not be able to meet many of these conditions and therefore perhaps the minister, in fact, should not close the road.”
Cost explosion plague project
A total of $ 852 million was budgeted for the road when it was announced in 2019, but earlier this year, it was revealed that the figure had reached $ 1.25 billion.
The increase in cost also came with a decrease in the scope of the project.
Four bridges that would have circulated on the existing main roads have been removed from the plans.
Highway interchanges will be replaced by roundabouts as the government tries to stifle more cost bursts. (ABC South West: Gian De Poloni)
It meant abandoning the promised 15-minute time savings on the trip around Bunbury, as well as the promise of a freeway, with motorists having to negotiate roundabouts at key intersections.
The WA government said that if it had to build the highway as originally planned, it would have cost $ 1.5 billion, almost double the initial cost.
No more cash injections had been ruled out either, and Washington government upper house leader Sue Ellery told parliament in May that additional funding would be sought if needed to deliver the project.
Main Roads said construction on the southern part of the highway through Gelorup will begin in the coming weeks once all relevant environmental conditions have been met.
The agency said the entire project had to be completed and opened to traffic by the end of 2024.
It is currently being considered a permanent name for the road.
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Posted 8 hours ago Tuesday, July 12, 2022 at 4:39 AM, updated 5 hours ago, 5 hours ago, Tuesday, July 12, 2022 at 7:31 AM