Multimillion-dollar Bomen Enabling Roads project to takes step forward

The Bomen Enabling Roads project will vastly improve road safety in the area, create a potential round trip saving of 36 minutes for Higher Mass Limits (HML) vehicles and better link the industrial precinct with the Olympic and Sturt highways.

Following a positive workshop this week to review tenders, a report will be put forward on the 11 July Supplementary Council Meeting recommending Council enter into direct negotiations with the preferred tenderer.

The works will include closing the Dampier Street level crossing and building an underpass, as well as constructing link roads. The reconstruction of the Eunony Bridge was not part of this tender, but is fully funded and scheduled for replacement.

"This is biggest single project my fellow Councillors and I have seen during our elected term," Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Councillor Rod Kendall said.

"The total Bomen Enabling Roads project is worth in the vicinity of $40M and we expect it will become a transformative piece of infrastructure that has a significant and long-lasting benefit for current and future businesses and our community.

"Not only will it address significant safety concerns such as the Dampier Street level crossing, it will open up 1800 hectares of industrial zoned land at Bomen Business Park.

"It will create opportunities for new businesses to come to Wagga and for existing businesses to grow, such as the Livestock Marketing Centre."

Along with providing substantial standalone benefits, the Bomen Enabling Roads project serves as stage one of the proposed Riverina Intermodal Freight and Logistics (RiFL) Hub program.

Stage one is already well under way, with the completion of the Eunony Bridge Road Deviation Project, land acquisitions nearly finalised, the creation of a detailed project management plan and the construction tenders consistent with budgets.

"Following the Supplementary Meeting on Monday, Council is confident the negotiations will be finalised as soon as possible and construction will begin on the Bomen Enabling Roads in the coming months," Cr Kendall said.

"The works are expected to be completed by mid-2017."

With stage one of the RiFL Hub program progressing well, the next step for stage two is finalising commercial terms with Council's private sector partner, Genesee & Wyoming Australia (GWA). These negotiations are progressing well and it is envisaged that terms will be finalised over the next six months, but are still subject to several commercial decisions.

"Council is proposing to build the enabling roads regardless of stage two proceeding," Cr Kendall said. "The enabling roads provide significant safety, economic and productivity benefits which makes it a great project on its own."

RiFL Hub program

Stage One: Bomen Enabling Roads

The creation of the Wagga Wagga High Productivity Freight Route between the Sturt Highway and the Olympic Highway via Bomen consists of:

• Construction of a grade-separated underpass of the Main Southern Railway Line (located near the western point of East Bomen Road) also to enable Higher Productivity Vehicles (HPV's) access
• The closure of the Dampier Street level crossing at Bomen
• The associated road works to allow the underpass construction including a heavy vehicle intersection near East Bomen Road
• The construction of a link road connecting the existing Bomen Business Park to the underpass running north from the Bomen Road intersection of Dampier Street along the disused stock rail sidings
• A heavy vehicle link between the eastern side of the main rail line to the Olympic Highway
• The replacement of Eunony Bridge to lift the current General Mass Limit (GML) restriction and enable Higher Productivity Vehicles (HPVs) access (separate to current tender)
• Land acquisitions required for Stage One
• Eunony Bridge Road Deviation Project (completed)

Benefits of Bomen Enabling Roads:

• Cater for future traffic demand
• Improve and address existing traffic constraints
• Address significant safety concerns
• Stimulate economic growth by opening up industrial zoned land in Bomen Business Park
• Support the potential development of the RiFL Hub

Stage Two: RiFL Hub (subject to negotiations)

The rail infrastructure and terminals consist of:

• Installation of turnouts off the Main Southern Railway Line to facilitate the construction of the proposed RiFL Hub Master Siding
• Rail infrastructure, including a master siding (approximately 5.8km) servicing the terminal/s
• Intermodal terminal for the transfer of containers between road and rail transport
• Potentially a Grain terminal with bulk grain handling facilities
• Adjoining industrial land development
• Land acquisitions required to complete Stage Two