Contract awarded for WA’s $1 billion Tonkin Highway project

The Tonkin Highway Extension and Thomas Road Upgrade Project in Perth had cleared a significant stage with a contractor announced.

The $1 billion Tonkin Highway Extension and Thomas Road Upgrade Project contract has been awarded to the Tonkin Extension Alliance consortium, which includes BMD, Civcon Civil and Project Management, Georgiou Group, BG&E, and GHD.  

The project will include the 14-kilometre extension of the Tonkin Highway and major upgrades to Thomas Road. The extension of Tonkin Highway will also include a four-lane dual carriageway from Thomas Road all the way to South Western Highway plus interchanges, underpasses and roundabouts.   

“The extension of Tonkin Highway will be a game-changer for the movement of freight to and from the South West and Wheatbelt, and provide a safer road network for people living in suburbs like Byford, Armadale, Kelmscott and Gosnells who currently contend with large volumes of heavy vehicles on local roads,” Western Australia’s deputy premier Rita Saffioti said. 

“This extension complements METRONET’s Byford Rail Extension and other safety improvements in the area, ensuring better access to our transport network for communities in the south.”  

The Thomas Road upgrades will include duplicating the 4.5-kilometres between Kargotich Road and South Western Highway and several intersection upgrades. 

Ther project is expected to commence in the middle of this year and be completed by late 2028. The works will support 4,400 direct and indirect jobs, according to the state government.  

“This project will deliver significant benefits to Western Australia’s freight and logistics network, by creating a high-standard north-south transport link, improving road safety, freight efficiency, and connectivity for residents, businesses, and commuters,” Federal Minister for Transport Catherine King said. 

“The project is part of a broader investment to the Tonkin Highway that will deliver a high-standard north-south transport link, including key upgrades such as the Tonkin Highway Gap.”