THE AUSTRALIAN Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has said that works on a culvert upgrade project in South Australia are nearing completion.
The works, taking place in a remote part of SA, are crucial for the east to west rail corridor that runs between Port Augusta (SA) and Kalgoorlie (WA), the ARTC says.
A total of 18 sites along the “critical” corridor are being upgraded in an early works package delivered by the ARTC reportedly worth $7 million.
The project involves the installation of new, reinforced concrete box culvert structures, which aim to mitigate the impacts and potential disruptions caused by culvert and track washaways during a flood event.
The ARTC says this will ensure the continued reliability of rail services in the face of increasing climate variability.
According to the Government-owned corporation, the upgraded culverts (a structure that allows water to pass under a road or railway) are intended to address those challenges head-on, improving stormwater management abilities and reducing the risk of flooding and erosion along key sections of the rail line.
The upgrade also aims to reduce the risk of network disruption and support the uninterrupted transportation of goods and resources crucial to the region’s economy.
Heather Parry, director infrastructure projects at the ARTC said the corporation is working to improve the resilience, reliability, and operational performance of its network.
“As extreme weather events become more common, it is vital that we invest in strengthening infrastructure to improve the resilience and reliability of essential national rail infrastructure and ensure network reliability for our customers.”
The upgrades of the culverts are in addition to the more than $1billion being invested by the Australian Government and ARTC into rail lines through the Network Investment Program, in order to improve resiliency and ensure freight can get to its destination.
An ARTC spokesperson told DCN it expects the culvert works to be completed by the end of the month.
