Community to Benefit from Water Initiative

ALine East has worked with the Merredin Shire Council and the Department of Agriculture for the provision of construction water and at the same time assisting the town with salinity problems associated with the rising groundwater.

The volume of water required for upgrade of the Great Eastern Highway is significant. The Perth Goldfields Pipeline runs parallel to the highway and was an obvious source. However, using potable water in an environment where successive dry winters have depleted the state’s storage capacity would be considered irresponsible. The cost of potable water is high and funds could be better expended within the Shire of Merredin.

Salinity, caused by rising water table levels, poses severe environmental threats. These threats are well known in farmland areas but more recently many rural towns have been identified at risk. If groundwater reaches 1.5m below the surface, town infrastructure and vegetation could be destroyed. Currently groundwater levels in Merredin are 2.0m and successive dry winters have temporarily arrested the trend. However, a return to average or above average rainfall years would see a resumption of upward watertable trends.

The community benefits because:

ALine East pays the council for water; and
The level of saline water under the town is lowered.

Aline East benefits because it:

Receives cost effective water; and
Helps the town’s salinity problem.

Using Salt Water for Road Construction

Salt water can be used for dust suppression provided it is not sprayed on vegetation or areas to be revegetated. It can also be used for subgrade and subbase but it can’t be applied to the basecourse layer that will be sealed. Saline water will come from the bores installed in town as part of the Rural Towns Liquid Assets project.

Provision of Fresh Water for Construction

During the first construction season the council has agreed to supply fresh water from two sources – the treated effluent from the waste water treatment plant and water from the dam adjacent to CBH storage facility (Dam 3). Next season there will be additional demand and the Department of Agriculture will install more bores. Shire of Merredin will desalinate water and sell it to ALine East for construction. In return ALine East will repair the evaporation ponds located in the Agriculture Department and these will be used for the brine from the desalination process.

Potts Motel

Brierty Contractors has purchased the motel to provide accommodation for the construction crew.

The alternative would have been to establish a construction camp to accommodate up to 100 people. This would have been difficult because the resources boom is putting enormous pressure on availability of camp units. Setting up a construction camp is costly and requires a huge planning effort.

The Potts will be sold at the conclusion of the project.

Hines Hill and Nangeenan

The community is being asked to contribute during the design phase to ensure concerns are addressed and incorporated in the design. Design options were forwarded to the Hines Hill and Nangeenan communities to determine their preferred option for realignment or modification of the existing alignment through each townsite.

ALine East received an excellent response to a survey and the results are being used for further development of designs for Hines Hill and Nangeenan.

There was an overwhelming support for realignment in Nangeenan to improve safety. In response to that feedback ALine East will realign the highway to remove dangerous bends.

It was evident the community was keen to see the businesses survive and prosper in the small community of Hines Hill. The community believed realignment may contribute to the demise of these businesses and with this in mind ALine East returned to the drawing board.

Amended designs will be forwarded to the community for comment before proceeding to the final stages. This will ensure that all issues relating to intersections, stock movement, school bus, etc are thoroughly considered.

Parking Bays and Rest Stops

ALine East met with Shire Councillor, Julie Townrow, Pam Masters from the Merredin Visitors Centre and Shire of Merredin representatives Frank Ludovico, CEO and Jim Garrett, Works Manager.

The group convened on February 1st to discuss community issues affecting rest stops and parking bays for input into the design for upgrade works on the Great Eastern Highway.

Intersection of Crooks Road and Great Eastern Highway

ALine East advised the intersection of Crooks Road and Great Eastern Highway will be upgraded and incorporate acceleration lanes to facilitate heavy haulage during grain harvest. This will impact on the access to the RTLA information bay located between the highway and the evaporation ponds. It will also impact on the proposed motorcross facility planned for the reserve immediately east of the evaporation ponds. The community expressed concern that it would be unsafe to provide access off the highway to these locations and it was suggested entry could be off Crooks Road. The design team are reviewing options for improved safety.

Information Bay to be Considered for the Hines Hill Townsite

The site at the evaporation ponds may not be suitable in view of access difficulties when Crooks Road intersection is upgraded. There is an opportunity for the Information Bay to be installed in Hines Hill. The council is keen to support satellite towns within the shire and an Information Bay could be considered at this location especially as it is the site of a heritage building.

Pump Station 4 and Coombs Road

There are a number of entrances into the pump station. It is proposed Coombs Road should be closed and a single access be created off the highway. This information is being evaluated by the ALine East design team.

The site is unique in that all water pumping processes used for the Perth-Kalgoorlie pipeline are contained within this site. The facility is heritage listed and there are opportunities to create a tourist attraction.

Council proposes to install a parking area within the Pump Station precinct and suggested ALine East may be in a position to assist. Designs are being prepared to accommodate this request.

Oats Street and Great Eastern Highway Intersection

ALine East will address safety concerns associated with movement of traffic at the intersection as follows:

Three access points cause confusion – Oats Street and two entrances to Shell Service Station
No provision for overtaking when caravans turn in and out of Oats Street to access the Caravan Park
Increased traffic volumes at intersection. Oats Street will provide access to the residential area planned to accommodate an increase in population when the abattoir reopens
Large trucks turn in and out of Shell Service Station. A parking bay is located on both sides of the highway
Traffic may be slow to heed speed reduction signs in the approach to town. The approach is on a bend in proximity to the bridge on Cohn Creek Crossing 3.

Road to Narembeen

A slip lane will be provided at this busy intersection to allow traffic, including caravans visiting Wave Rock, to enter and exit the highway.