Staged reopening for flood-damaged highway

TEMPORARY repair work to a badly damaged section of the Great Northern Highway between Broome and Derby has been completed, thanks to a 40-person strong road construction crew. A staged reopening has followed.

The repair works include the construction of a temporary single-lane gravel track, reconnecting Broome, Derby and Fitzroy Crossing by road for the first time since the floods.

“I want to thank Main Roads and the hard-working road construction teams who have been out there working most days in some really challenging wet season conditions to get this temporary track completed in less than four weeks,” said WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti.

“Seeing the early vision of the floods and the scale of damage that was sustained to the road infrastructure, it’s an incredible achievement to be able to open up the highway in a limited capacity this quickly.”

As part of the staged reopening, vehicles are being escorted in alternating east and west convoys, using the single lane gravel track under speed restrictions.

“This staged re-opening will allow movement of critical freight and local community members between

Broome, Derby and Fitzroy Crossing for the first time since the floods,” added Kimberley MLA Divina D’Anna.

“Pending weather conditions, we expect that within the next few weeks the second lane of the temporary gravel track will have finished construction, allowing traffic to move more freely.”

Permanent repair works will be undertaken in the dry season.

Travel times across the 10-kilometre section are likely to average between 15-20 minutes per convoy. Wait times at the controlled access points either side of the temporary track at the Willare Roadhouse and the Cockatoo Creek Bridge are likely to average 30 minutes.