Roy Hill has opened a $18.66 million single span bridge, which carries the Great Northern Highway over its rail line towards Port Hedland in Western Australia, six months after construction launched.
The bridge was funded by Roy Hill to replace an existing level crossing, enabling the free movement of traffic over the rail line and removing the potential for a rail-road accident at the intersection.
Roy Hill trains pass through the intersection up to 13 times a day, taking on average 3.5 minutes to pass through the crossing.
“This rail bridge will not only remove the risk of a road user collision with one of our trains, but significantly reduce road user travel time and improve traffic flow,” Roy Hill chief executive Barry Fitzgerald said.
Construction work on the rail bridge commenced in August 2018 and generated 65 jobs.
Government agency Main Roads Western Australia appointed Western Australian business Georgiou to construct the bridge, and local Pilbara Aboriginal business Gebro Contracting as the project site supervisor.
Main Roads WA oversaw the design, procurement process and construction of the bridge. It will now oversee the future operations and ongoing maintenance of the bridge.
“I’m pleased the rail bridge has been completed on budget and ahead of its original March 2019 schedule,” Fitzgerald said.
“This bridge is another example of Roy Hill’s commitment to extend its safety focus beyond our immediate workplace, positively contributing to the local communities in which we operate.”
The bridge opening was attended by the Minister for Transport Rita Saffioti, the Minister for Environment Stephen Dawson and MP for the Pilbara Kevin Michel MLA.
Roy Hill has also worked with Main Roads WA and Georgiou to upgrade 22 kilometres of the Marble Bar Road in Newman from gravel to a fully sealed, Main Roads WA compliant highway.