Preferred contractor announced for WA Tonkin Gap Project

Construction is anticipated to commence this year on a project that will fix a major bottleneck on Western Australia’s Tonkin Highway – between Morley and Redcliffe – with the appointment of the Tonkin Gap Alliance as preferred builder for this vital road infrastructure. 

“Our investment in major road project and METRONET will set up our suburbs for the long term and benefit Western Australians, now and into the future. 

“In times like these it’s important we continue to progress the projects that will provide work for local businesses and keep workers in their jobs – this will ultimately support the state’s wider economy,” Premier Mark McGowan said.

The alliance is comprised of BMD, Georgiou Group, WA Limestone, BG&E and GHD. In addition to works on the Tonkin Highway, the alliance will also undertake associated works on the METRONET Morley-Ellenbrook Line. 

“We are delighted to be contributing to this landmark project which will support the Government's METRONET project, while working alongside existing clients MRWA and PTA.

“Our expert teams have years of experience and in-depth knowledge in delivering complex infrastructure projects across the State. We look forward to building our working relationship - not only with our dual clients - but our partners and deliver another great project for the WA community,” Georgiou Group CEO Rob Monaci said.

The Tonkin Gap Project will help relieve the bottleneck on this section of the highway, providing a better road network for Perth’s growing outer-northern suburbs. This project is also expected to create up to 3,000 jobs during. 

“In addition it will create thousands of new jobs at a time when what we want is to get Australians back to work. 

“Our $100 billion infrastructure pipeline is setting the foundations for economic recovery in the other side of the COVID-19 crisis,” Federal Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said. 

Road and rail project such as the Tonkin Gap Project will play a vital role in the State’s economic recovery. Not only will this project help bust congestion on the Tonkin Highway, it will also pave the way for major works on the Morley-Ellenbrook Line. 

“Tonkin Gap is a major component of the train line to Ellenbrook, with two dive structures and the foundation for the rail included in the scope. 

“Together with New Bayswater Station procurement, we now have two out of three major contracts for Morley-Ellenbrook Line at an advanced stage,” WA Minister for Transport and Planning Rita Saffioti said. 

Project map (source: Main Roads WA)

The Tonkin Gap Project’s scope of works will include: 

• Widening the highway to at least three lanes in each direction from Dunreath Drive to Collier Road 
• Construction of a northbound and southbound collector-distributor (CD) roads between Guildford Road interchange and Great Eastern Highway interchange 
• New bridges over the Swan River, Guildford Road, Railway Parade, Dunstone Road and the Perth-Midland rail line 
• New fully grade-separated principal shared path (PSP) on the western side of Tonkin Highway from north of Guildford Road interchange to approximately Stanton Road with local connections 
• Noise walls 
• Upgraded lighting and intelligent transport systems (ITS) infrastructure 

The Tonkin Gap package of works will also include rail-enabling works for the METRONET Morley-Ellenbrook Line – which will be part of the four works packages for the rail project. 

“Anyone who travels this route every day knows how congested it gets and the sooner it is completed the better it will be for all those travelers. 

“Tonkin Highway is an important part of our local and state-wide economy as it service not only people travelling to and from work but also the transport hub of Western Australia based in my electorate of Swan,” Federal Member for Swan Steve Irons said. 

Enabling works on the Morley-Ellenbrook Line will commence in the coming months and the entire Tonkin Gap Project is due to be completed in 2023. 

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Source: Government of Western Australia; Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure; Main Roads WA; The West Australian; Georgiou Group