Pilbara Ports announces $11.8m Utah Road upgrade complete

An $11.8 million upgrade to one of the Pilbara’s most important and busiest freight routes has been completed.

Pilbara Ports says it has completed stage five of the Utah Road pavement rehabilitation project, boosting safety and improving efficiency for customers.

The project was one part of a $32.2m multi-stage investment to restore and upgrade the 8.1km Utah Road which has more than 500 road trains, carrying up to 140 tonnes per super-quad road train travel along it each day.

The road links the Great Northern Highway and Pilbara Ports Utah bulk handling facility, which is a high-capacity export hub handling a wide range of bulk commodities including mineral sands, salt and iron ore. It also serves as the primary access route for both FMG’s Anderson Point and BHP’s Finucane Island.

Ports Minister Stephen Dawson lauded the completion.

“Investing in critical infrastructure like Utah Road ensures we can continue to support Western Australia’s thriving resources sector,” he said.

“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.”