WBHO Infrastructure awarded contract for next phase of $363m Princes Highway Duplication

WBHO Infrastructure has been awarded the VicRoads contract to duplicate a 11.5km section of the Princes Highway spanning from Deans Marsh Road in Winchelsea, west to Armytage Lane. 

This stage, known as Section 1, is one of four stages being delivered under the $363 million Princes Highway duplication between Winchelsea and Colac. Section 1 will take approximately two years to complete (2018), with site works commencing in July. Key features of the project include:  

• 11.5km duplication of the highway
• New intersections at Mousley Road, Ondit Road and McDonalds Lane, Robertson Road, and Ingleby Road and Armytage Road;
• New left and right turn lanes into side roads;
• Wire rope safety barriers on the edge of the road and in the median;
• Upgraded culverts and drainage to cater for a one-in-100 year rain event;
• Landscaping, including planting of more than 10,000 trees indigenous to the area.

In a company statement, WBHO Managing Director Peter Ryan said:

“We look forward to working with VicRoads and the local community to deliver this needed upgrade. The major upgrade of the Princes Highway will be welcome news for businesses and residents in Victoria’s southwest, and will enable safer, smoother and swifter travel between the southwest and our state’s ports, airports and major urban centres.

“Fundamental to success will be delivering the needed upgrade in such a way that disruption to road users, the local community and landowners is kept to an absolute minimum. WBHO’s focus throughout the project will be on collaboratively planning and managing all works to ensure this is achieved.”

Over the winter months, WBHO will set up their site office and undertake all preliminary works that can be completed during the wet and cold weather conditions.  This will prepare everything in advance of large scale road construction in the dryer months later in the year.

Over the next few weeks, WBHO will be undertaking survey activities, installing protective fencing around vegetation to be retained and begin drainage works. VicRoads also confirmed that some 3,500 trees will need to be removed in the 11.5km length between Winchelsea and Armytage. In addition, some underlying vegetation such as smaller trees and shrubs will also need to be removed.

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