Pilbara Ports has marked a major milestone by completing Stage Five of the Utah Road Pavement Rehabilitation Project and strengthening one of Western Australia’s busiest and most important freight corridors.
Utah Road is a critical link between the Great Northern Highway and Pilbara Ports Utah Bulk Handling Facility – a high-capacity export hub which handles a wide range of bulk commodities including mineral sands, salt and iron ore.
More than 500 road trains and super quads carrying up to 140 tonnes travel through the route every day.
Utah Road also serves as the primary access route for both Fortescue Metal Group’s Anderson Point and BHP’s Finucane Island facilities.
The fifth stage of the Utah Road Pavement Rehabilitation Project was delivered as part of a $32.2 million multi-stage investment in critical Pilbara Ports freight infrastructure.
The $11.8 million upgrade was aimed at reducing wear and tear on freight vehicles and increasing efficiency in moving bulk products to global markets via the Utah Bulk Handling Facility.
WA Ports Minister, Stephen Dawson, said the works will significantly benefit heavy vehicle operators in the Pilbara region.
“The completion of Stage Five not only strengthens a key freight route but also enhances safety and efficiency for many operators who rely on this corridor every day,” he said.
“Investing in critical infrastructure like Utah Road ensures we can continue to support Western Australia’s thriving resources sector.”
The works were delivered with minimal disruption to port operations, ensuring trade continued to flow throughout the project.
Pilbara MLA, Kevin Michel, said the entire project is essential to keep WA’s resources sector moving and its export operations ‘world-class’.
“The project delivers safer, more reliable access to the Utah Bulk Handling facility, which plays a vital role in moving our regions commodities to the world,” he said.
“It is great to see government and industry work together to solve problems, while maintaining safety and efficiency of port operations.”
In other news, Linfox has strengthened its partnership with one of the world’s largest iron ore mining companies.
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