Construction to begin for $60m flyover at Chester Pass Road and Menang Drive, last link of Albany Ring Road

Construction of a new $60 million flyover at the intersection of Chester Pass Road and Menang Drive is set to begin in the coming months, with the tender for the project released on Friday. Considered the final link in the Albany Ring Road project, the grade-separated interchange is expected to be completed by 2027 and will allow free-flowing access from Chester Pass Road to the port. It is earmarked to be located south of the current intersection. The project will reduce the amount of trucks on the road by allowing southbound vehicles to exit Chester Pass Road via an elevated ramp, passing back over the top of Chester Pass Road via a bridge before connecting into Menang Drive. Serving as the heavy haulage route’s fourth flyover, the project was first flagged at the opening of the Albany Ring Road on May 18 last year, with a cost estimation of $37m. Transport Minister Rita Saffioti spruiked the success of the $225m ring road, labelling it a “once-in-a-generation” project for the region. “The project has been open for just over a year, and is taking around 2000 vehicles per day, including 800 trucks out of the centre of Albany,” she said. “Earlier this year, the City of Albany was named the fastest-growing local government area in the State. “As the population continues to rise and visitor numbers grow, a safe, uninterrupted heavy vehicle corridor is essential.” Minister for the Great Southern Reece Whitby labelled the ring road a “game changer” for Great Southern contractors and suppliers. “Economic growth has increased through the Albany Ring Road with approximately $50m already invested in local businesses, supporting jobs and investment, helping keep our economy the strongest in the nation,” he said. “Approximately $6m was spent on Aboriginal businesses and suppliers, while 10.5 per cent of the construction workforce hours were completed by local Aboriginal people. “This new flyover will remove heavy vehicles from the existing local network, and is just another example of our commitment to deliver road upgrades, increasing the safety for all drivers across our State.”