BG&E led the first-ever program approach to the ISC Planning rating scheme for EastLink Western Australia (WA), achieving a Silver rating across all packages and the program. Under our leadership, sustainability and innovation opportunities were integrated and embedded throughout the project’s planning and development as a core objective.

EastLink WA is WA’s largest road network planning study that forms the start of the Perth Adelaide National Highway (PANH) to link Perth to the eastern states via Adelaide.

The project scope involved the development of 65 kilometres of urban and rural highway that traverses complex urban and peri-urban freeway-type operations along Reid Highway and Roe Highway, with eleven grade- separated interchanges connecting to lower- order arterial networks.

The study was undertaken under a collaborative contractual model via an Integrated Project Team (IPT). In 2021, the GHD and BG&E Joint Venture formed the EastLink WA IPT with Main Roads to undertake planning, design development, and project scoping works.

The scope of works included

• Critical network operation and traffic engineering components.
• Alignment and project definition.
• Environmental approvals.
• Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) rating.
• Stakeholder engagement.
• Land identification for acquisition.
• 15% detailed design documentation.

Other key sustainability initiatives that were considered in this planning study included

• Preliminary life cycle carbon calculation to identify priorities and opportunities.
• Co-design with local First Nations stakeholders of a framework enabling future cultural and economic opportunities for the project.
• Development and implementation of a robust decision making framework to consider sustainability objectives from an early stage.