Drivers have been warned of traffic delays on major roads across Western Australia's South West over winter, as almost 200 wind turbine pieces are trucked to a renewable energy project south of Kojonup.
Key points:
- More than 200 wind turbine pieces are being driven carefully across WA's South West
- Components are for the construction of the Flat Rocks Wind Farm near Kojonup
- Traffic delays are expected along the 350km route until August due to the transport of the parts
In a process that began last week, the turbine pieces — some as long as 36 metres — are being transported more than 350 kilometres from Bunbury Port to Flat Rocks Wind Farm.
Main Roads regional manager Andrew Duffield said pilots and traffic wardens would escort the oversized equipment from Monday to Saturday until early August, and drivers should think ahead.
"If you are travelling on Coalfields Highway or Albany Highway between Arthur River and Kendenup … please plan some more time for your trips," Mr Duffield said.
With the extra-long trucks limited to 60 kilometres per hour, the convoys will leave Bunbury at 5am each day, arriving at the wind farm site by late afternoon.
"There is a fair impact on the travelling public — but that's what our roads are designed to do," Mr Duffield said.
"Not only are they designed to get people from A to B, they're also designed to support industry and keep the economy ticking."
Flat Rocks, developed my Moonies Hill Energy, is part of a national shift towards renewables.
BHP has confirmed it will purchase energy from the site, which is expected to be operational by the end of the year.
According to the Kojonup Shire, 120 jobs will be created while the farm is built, with 10 ongoing roles once construction is complete.
Mr Duffield said the wind farm developers were heavily involved in the transportation process.
"We need to be careful of overhead powerlines, overheard bridges, rail crossings [and] signs that may need to be modified," he said.
"There's all of those considerations before we even get to developing a detailed traffic management plan."