A project to identify future infrastructure requirements to provide improved road access to Alice Springs through Heavitree Gap for commuters, travellers, and freight providers is now out for public tender.

The section of the Stuart Highway which passes through the area known as The Gap in the picturesque MacDonnell Ranges is the only sealed road link connecting the Northern Territory to South Australia. It also connects the Alice Springs CBD to the rural residential and industrial developments south of Alice Springs and the Alice Springs Airport, as well as being a connecting link along the alternative route to Uluru.

The Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics has developed a strategic transport model for estimating traffic demand in the Alice Springs area and this modelling suggests that there will be a need for duplication of the Stuart Highway through The Gap in future years to cater for growing travel demand.

The Gap is quite narrow, and the section of the road passing through this area has in the past been affected by seasonal heavy rains. The Gap is also an iconic part of the Central Australian landscape, and proposed infrastructure solutions will be devised to preserve the surrounding beauty and heritage value of the area, as well as respecting the cultural significance of the nearby Todd River.

The project currently out to tender will aim to identify solutions for the future duplication of the Stuart Highway through The Gap. This includes the development of an all-weather connection through The Gap, improved freight productivity for trucks and industrial traffic, as well as providing an improved southern entry route to Alice Springs for locals, visitors and commuters.

The tender for this project, which is fully funded by the Northern Territory Government, closes on February 13.

Media contact: Simone Phasey 8924 7028