Updated January 2012
Development activities for the project are now complete. Preliminary design work, Aboriginal heritage assessments and public consultation have been finalised. Environmental assessments and formal referral to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is complete. No construction funding has been identified for the project.
The project includes around 10 km of new road alignment and a 480 m bridge over the Ord River is currently estimated to cost around $125m. The new link forms Stage One of the ultimate Kununurra Heavy Vehicle Route, which is planned to remove all heavy haulage permit vehicles and the majority of other vehicles from the existing crossing of the Ord River on the Kununurra Diversion Dam (managed by the Water Corporation).
Development works on this project have been undertaken with Federal Government funding, including planning, preliminary road and bridge design, land dealing discussions, environmental and Aboriginal heritage approvals and other preconstruction activities.
Stage Two of the project commences at Weaber Plain Road, north of Kununurra town site and finishes at the Victoria Highway east of Kununurra town site. A new 18 km road will ultimately link into Stage One. Critical preconstruction activities for this stage are nearing completion to ensure that a suitable reserve for this road is protected and not developed.
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Environmental Considerations
In accordance with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 -Section 95A, Main Roads Western Australia would like to refer Stage 1 Western Link of the Kununurra Heavy Vehicle Route to DSEWPaC and gives notice of the following documents:
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Stage One of the project will provide a range of benefits to Kununurra and surrounding communities including:
- Uninterrupted road access for all vehicles in accordance with current design standards on the Victoria Highway.
- A significant increase in efficiency for heavy, high and wide loads travelling through the Kimberley that service agriculture, defence and mining activities.
- Improve the link between the Ports of Wyndham, Darwin and the East Kimberley including access for the Ord River Irrigation Area expansion (Stage Two).
- Removal of all heavy haulage permit vehicles from the existing crossing of the Ord River on the Kununurra Diversion Dam.
Providing a new bridge over the Ord River will remove heavy vehicles from the existing Kununurra Diversion Dam crossing. The Water Corporation is undertaking dam wall maintenance during the dry season months for the foreseeable future. As a result, the dam wall is under single lane traffic management during daylight hours, which restricts all vehicle movements along the Victoria Highway during this time.
Please visit the Water Corporation website (www.watercorporation.com.au/K/kununurra_diversion_dam_maintenance_works_program.cfm) for further information about current maintenance works, timing and impacts to traffic at Kununurra Diversion Dam.
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Kununurra Bypass Locality Plan (JPG 13.5 KB)
For project enquiries, please contact:
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