Main Roads has scheduled upgrades to Coalfields Highway over Summer.
According to Main Roads, remaining works to Coalfields Highway were scheduled to commence this month and to be completed in March.
Main Roads’ plans for the upgrades to Coalfields Highway near the Worsley-Alumina turnoff began in late 2015 for completion in mid-2016.
Due to wet weather, Main Roads re-assessed the conditions in the remaining works area.
No further delays have been expected.
RAC Media and Government Relations Senior Manager Liz Carey said community assistance had helped initiate refurbishments to the highway.
“RAC’s Risky Roads campaign gives Western Australians the chance to nominate sub-standard roads and intersections in their local area in a bid to get a clearer picture of the State’s road challenges,” she said.
“Since 2014, eight of the top 10 roads, including Coalfields Highway, have had work planned, committed, started or completed, showing a willingness from local and state authorities to address community concerns.”
Ms Carey said major political parties should make renewed commitments for improving the state’s roads.
“Preliminary figures show 194 people were killed on WA roads in 2016, and the South West suffered its worst road toll in two years with 25 people dying on local roads,” she said.
“Last year the impact of road trauma was devastating for the South West and, sadly, the region’s fatality rate was approximately double the State rate.”
Member for Collie-Preston Mick Murray recently demanded action regarding extended delays for the redevelopments in Worsley.
“What I think what the people of Collie would be very happy about would be some time frame to fix that bit up so, despite my questions of Main Roads, no one has been able to give me an answer of when it’s due to start again,” he said.
“I have had people come in talking about near-misses, once the lineage has become dirty or where you can’t actually see the road lines themselves, the marking lines, it also doesn’t help.
“Also, the people that are new to town thinking this is a lovely highway until they get to those two bits that haven’t been finished, then they get a bit caught out about where to go and making a safe entry.”
Mr Murray said the Worsley section was initially scheduled for completion in May 2016.
