The Great Northern Highway in Western Australia is set to reopen for general traffic on Friday, following the drainage of floodwaters caused by severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia. This highway is the sole connection between the Kimberley region and the southern part of the state. The closure of the highway since last Thursday has disrupted the transport of essential supplies to northern towns such as Broome and Kununurra.
Due to the record rainfall from Cyclone Zelia, the highway was submerged, prompting authorities to assess the damage throughout the week. With no alternative routes for road transport, supermarkets in the Kimberley faced supply shortages, leading to temporary purchase limits at Coles and Woolworths in Broome. Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson noted instances of panic buying, stating, "With the road closure, fruit and veg ran out quite quickly."
On Thursday, permits were granted for thirteen trucks carrying fresh produce and fuel to travel the highway under escort, supplemented by air deliveries across the Kimberley. Main Roads has been issuing permits for 53-metre road trains to undertake the 6,260 km journey via South Australia and the Northern Territory, entering the Kimberley from the north. Another convoy of trucks is scheduled for escort from Port Hedland to Broome on Thursday.
Main Roads plans to reopen the highway section between Port Hedland and Broome to general traffic on Friday, with the northern end from Broome to Pardoo expected to open at 9 am, and the remaining section from Port Hedland to Pardoo at 12 pm. Mr. Dawson indicated that escorts might be necessary to ensure safety due to road damage, stating, "The likelihood is that if and when the road opens it will only be open during daylight hours for the moment."
Main Roads spokesman Dean Roberts reported damage east of Port Hedland, particularly where the De Grey River reached major flood levels. "We've had a little bit of bitumen stripping which needs to be addressed," he said. Efforts are also underway to restore road access to Pilbara communities such as Marble Bar, Nullagine, and Warralong, with selective traffic access anticipated by the weekend.
Source: ABC News