The Western Australian government says first stages of road upgrades are finished at the Port of Esperance to improve the safety and longevity of its sole heavy vehicle access route.
The upgrades include the installation of 920 tonnes of asphalt and close to one hectare of road pavement, as well as new drainage, kerbing and new safety barriers.
The works have also delivered a new truck layover area configured to improve the flow of truck movements along the road.
The upgrades to Hughes Road are part of the WA government’s $19.6 million Road Improvement Program for the Port of Esperance.
“Hughes Road is a crucial link in the Port of Esperance supply chain as the sole heavy access road in and out of the port, facilitating more than five million tonnes of trade over the past year,” WA ports minister David Michael says.
“Significant growth has occurred at the port since the road’s construction four decades ago, with new and diverse commodities welcomed to accommodate the rapid expansion of the battery and other critical minerals trade and other markets.
“This critical supply route underpins the agriculture sector, with more than 3.4 million tonnes of grain and 270,000 tonnes of fertiliser delivered to and from the port.
“The road is now significantly safer and better equipped to handle the continued diverse trade opportunities facilitated by Southern Ports.
“The WA government is committed to ensuring infrastructure at our ports allows them to facilitate growing trade opportunities which play a vital role in Western Australia’s economy.”
Future upgrades will involve reconfiguring the port’s access intersection to better accommodate the growth in movements of larger B-triple trucks, as well as further works reconstructing degraded areas of road pavement.
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