$27 million WA Black Spot Program

The WA State Government has allocated almost $27 million through the 2020-21 Black Spot Program to upgrade some of the state's worst roads. Safety upgrades and improvements will be carried out at 92 locations with 44 in the Perth metropolitan area and 48 in regional WA. Works will improve safety, help reduce congestion, and improve efficiency whilst also supporting local jobs. More than $21 million has been allocated by the State Government, with an additional $5 million to be provided by local governments.

WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said, "We've worked with local government to deliver more than $26 million for this year's Black Spot Program. This funding will upgrade 92 locations across the State, helping to make our roads safer and more efficient while also supporting local jobs.

Upgrades in the metropolitan area include: • $200,000 for the installation of the firstever Western Australian signalised safety platform at the intersection of Mill Point

Road and Mends Street in South Perth; • $200,000 to upgrade the corner of

Ocean Reef Road and Eddystone Avenue welcomed the $1.1 billion transport infrastructure spend announced by the Commonwealth Government. The projects, negotiated by the State Government, will help create thousands of local jobs and improve safety across the State.

This will extend the $6.5 billion pipeline of road and rail works currently underway across Western Australia, creating and supporting jobs and providing opportunities for local businesses. The State Government is already spending $260 million a month on infrastructure, with $100 million of this funding in regional WA.

Key projects funded in the announcement include $16 million for Cape Leveque access roads in the Kimberley and $16 million for works on the Goldfields Highway (Wiluna to Meekatharra), and further funding for the Wheatbelt Secondary Freight Network, and in Heathridge/Beldon; $800,000 to undertake safety improvements at the intersection of Thomas Road and Kargotich Road in Oakford; and $2,100,000 to upgrade pedestrian facilities and intersection lighting, and modify the right-hand turn lane into Albany Highway from Welshpool Road in St James.

In regional WA, projects include: • $1.9 million for Stage 1 to upgrade the intersection of Derby Highway and

Waycott Street in Derby; • $2 million to widen Ackland Drive and construct a left-hand turn from Brand

Highway into Barrett Drive in Wandina; • $355,700 to complete realignment of

Wandering-Narrogin Road/Springhill

Road and Nebrikinning Road in

Cuballing; • $252,000 towards making Port Drive safer at St Mary's College in Broome; and • $278,000 towards correcting superelevation and widen shoulders on

Pump Hill Road in the Shire of Manjimup. other regional road safety projects.

Funding for other major road projects, such as the Roe Highway interchange project, will allow the project scope to expand and to be progressed as soon as possible. The WA State Government has

The State Government is already spending $260 million a month on infrastructure, with $100 million of this funding in regional WA also worked to fast track approvals and cut red tape for an additional 11 major transport infrastructure projects, worth $2.37 billion, and estimated to create 13,000 local jobs.

WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said,

Roads in the southern Wheatbelt will receive $643,000 of works and upgrades with Narrogin receiving $355,781 for the curved section of Wandering-Narrogin Road being realigned to improve road geometry. The road’s intersection with Springhill Road and Nebrikinning Road will have new signs installed and lines marked.

In the Shire of Kulin, the intersection of Rabbit-Proof Fence Road and Muller Road will be reconstructed and widened, with the hill on Muller Road cut down to improve sight distance. The embankment on RabbitProof Fence Road will be built up, with new signage installed. The roadworks in the Shire of Kulin will cost $195,333.

The Shire of Bruce Rock will receive $91,878 in road upgrades on Bruce RockNarembeen Road/Cumminin Road and Wogarl West Road/Totadgin Road, both of which will result in the Y-intersection being made into a T-Intersection.

Nominations for the 2021-22 State Black Spot Program for both metropolitan and regional roads are currently being assessed. For more information and a full list of the regional ‘local’ roads that will receive

$1.1 billion infrastructure spend for WA from Commonwealth

The WA State Government has

attention, visit www.mainroads.wa.gov.au “We’ve worked collaboratively with the Commonwealth Government to identify projects that will create and support local jobs while also improving safety and capacity across our road and rail networks. We already have a pipeline of $6.5 billion of major road and rail works underway across Western Australia over the next two years - this will extend the pipeline of work and will continue to help the State economy through and past COVID-19.

“This year alone we have seven METRONET projects under construction with several more moving into the procurement phase, creating thousands of local jobs, as well as major road projects underway such as the $175 million Albany Ring Road.

“We’re building the transport infrastructure needed for tomorrow - no matter where you visit in WA you will see hard hats on the ground and infrastructure works underway.”

Buckshee turns to thrill By Kevin Lockyer

The history of this little truck started in Cuballing. It was to keep it going. bought new by the Parson family to be used for farming Anyway back to this particular K2 at Hockridge's. I checked duties. In the early '60s, it was sold to the Hockridge family it all over and it seemed to be complete so time to do a deal to use as a fire truck. In the late '70s, Hockridges relocated to Hyden with the owner. The result was I could have it for buckshee and the Austin came with them to be used as a water truck until it's (free) as long as he could have a drive when it was restored. demise in the early '80s. So we pumped the tyres up and stiff-barred it to the back of a

Fast forward to 2005, and I was looking for one of these trucks to Landcruiser and off we went. By the time we got it home, over restore as they played a significant part in my family's history. the 30 km' s it had shaken itself to bits, so back we go picking up

In 1948, my grandparents left East Perth and travelled to their war all the bits of wood from the tray. service farm south of Corrigin in one of these trucks. On the back, The restoration took approximately three years with a complete they had all their worldly possessions including five of their children. strip down to a rolling chassis. The timber tray was totally stuffed

When I finished schooling in the mid-'70s, I got a job driving but the steelwork remained allowing us to get the measurement's a K2 for a spraying contractor. I got the job because no one else for new timber. Mum, Dad and I built the new wooden tray to would drive it. original specs in four days over an Easter weekend.

It had a ‘crash box’, no foot brake only a handbrake, a starter The little Austin has performed well over the years since and motor that worked occasionally and grossly overloaded. Despite all still gives me a thrill when I bring it out of the shed on special the problems, I loved that little truck and took pride in managing occasions for a run.