Upgrading the Northern Territory’s Keep River Road is one step closer to becoming a reality with the tender to deliver the project released to market.
This $49.9 million project is part of the $600 million Northern Australia Roads Program, an investment that is set to deliver upgrades to high priority roads that are vital in freight and vehicular movement, supporting economic development in Australia’s northern region.
“This upgrade for up to 28 kilometres of road will deliver improved flood immunity, freight capacity and productivity to a number of Northern Australia’s cattle producers.
“These works also stand to support the proposed Project Sea Dragon, the $1.45 billion prawn aquaculture project - awarded Major Project Status, which has the potential to create around 1,500 ongoing jobs and proposed projects such as the Ord Irrigation Scheme Stage 3 and the Weaber Plains Gas Field,” Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics Eva Lawler said.
Works on the upgrade are going to be delivered in two stages, with the first stage set to deliver the initial 13-kilometre of two-lane standard seal road from the Western Australia border to Legune Station as well as a new bridge over the Keep River.
In 2018, Allcast Pty Ltd was awarded the contract to manufacture special bridge girders for the Keep River Bridge.
The Keep River Road project is a joint initiative by the Australian and State Governments, with the Australian Government contributing $39.9 million and the State Government contributing $17.5 million for the two stages.
“We’ve been working with northern jurisdiction, pushing hard to improve our roads to make it easier for people and freight to travel vast distances sooner and safer,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said.
The tender is expected to be awarded in May 2019, with major construction works set to commence in July. The project is due to be completed in September of next year.
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Source: NT Government Newsroom; Trailer Magazine; Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities