The ALine East project will upgrade a key section of Great Eastern Highway, which is an important leg in a national road system linking Western Australia with the eastern states.

The highway serves a number of user groups including agricultural, pastoral, mining and tourism and is the main route for the transport of goods and services to the eastern states.

Some sections between Tammin and Walgoolan are deficient in width for the amount and type of traffic that is using the road. There are also sections that are deficient in alignment thus increasing travel times and affecting safety. The section of the highway between Hines Hill and Walgoolan, and the section through Kellerberrin Townsite will be upgraded between January 2006 and April 2010.

The upgrade will provide the following benefits in helping to achieve the broad land use and transport objectives for the region in which it traverses. It will:

• significantly improve road safety by providing better geometry, a forgiving roadside environment and improved intersections;
• reduce transport costs by providing reduced travel times; and
• improve amenity for road users by providing scenic vegetation corridors.