COLLIE will have road upgrades to cater for an influx of grain trucks expected through the town.
With the opening of a new grain export facility in Bunbury last Friday Collie roads are still undergoing improvements to accommodate the increase of trucks.
The Bunge Export Grain Terminal in Bunbury will mainly affect the Coalfields Highway and to some extent Williams Road.
Main Roads and Bunge visited Collie last year to brief staff and councillors on the new facility set to make Bunbury into a major centre for grain exports, allowing farmers to choose a new pathway to port for their export grain.
In response to council concerns about the increase of grain trucks, Minister for Transport Dean Nalder approved a 40km/h speed zone from Prinsep Street to Burt Street which will be implemented soon.
A key concern for residents is the safety of their children when crossing Throssell Street to attend school.
Collie Shire acting chief executive Brett Lowcock said a guarded school crossing with an attendant near the shire offices will be installed soon with additional pedestrian crossing facilities near Lefroy Street intersection.
"This is especially important given that year 7s will be starting at the high school next year," Mr Lowcock said.
"These works were planned before Bunge announced the Bunbury Export Facility, however they will be a welcome improvement now that the extra trucks will be on the road.
"Council has also commenced construction of a truck parking area on Throssell Street to cater for the extra trucks that will be travelling through town.
"In addition, Mr Lowcock said the planned upgrades to Coalfields Highway west of Collie, between Hamilton River and Wellington Dam, are about to get started now the National Park land is available and Main Roads are about to commence the $4 million road widening works east of Collie.
"Shire staff have also been liaising with local police and Bunbury police who have been carrying out additional patrols to ensure trucks are complying with speed limits," Mr Lowcock said.
PGA Western Grain Growers chairman John Snooke said the alternative pathway, which combined on-farm storage with a high input port for specified shipments of grain, would not only give farmers the opportunity to improve their farm gate returns with competitive freight services, but would also help to avoid future backlogs and congestion due to tonnage increases throughout the Wheatbelt, especially in the Kwinana Zone.