Victoria Highway - Little Horse and Big Horse Creek crossings and road upgrades
Construction is now complete on the new Big Horse and Little Horse bridges, providing improved connectivity and safety along the Northern Territory’s Victoria Highway.
The former existing bridges at Big Horse and Little Horse creeks were replaced with higher level bridges, raised road approaches and culverts at low points.
The new bridges were constructed alongside the existing road within the existing road corridor.
The upgrades have:
- brought the roadway to a National Highway standard
- improved the road link between the Northern Territory and Western Australia
- improved flood immunity and access to the area.
The project is located on the Victoria Highway about 300 km west of Katherine near the township of Timber Creek.
Allan King & Sons Construction Pty Ltd was awarded the contract to deliver this project.
Map
Previous announcements
- New Big Horse, Little Horse Bridges Get the Jump on Flooding Closures – Media Statement – July 2019
- Construction progress – Image – September 2018
- Upcoming works PDF (413.5 KB) – Factsheet – July 2017
- New Bridges ensure a dry track over Big Horse and Little Horse Creeks – Media Statement – July 2017
- Victoria Highway set to receive improved flood immunity – Media Release – January 2017
More information
Project scope
The project scope included:
- construction of two bridges and road approaches between chainage 294km to 296.5km at Big and Little Horse creeks which include culverts at low points to the east of the bridges.
- safety upgrades to the intersections at the Big Horse Camp ground and the Bradshaw Field Training area.
- demolition of the existing bridges.
Benefits
The Victoria Highway provides the only sealed link between the Northern Territory and Western Australia providing a critical link in the Perth to Darwin National Corridor.
Big Horse and Little Horse creeks are tributaries of the Victoria River. Before these upgrades were completed, flooding caused the highway to close at both these crossings for an average of 96 hours annually.
The new bridges:
- Achieve a 1-in-20-year flood immunity, consistent with other new crossings on the Victoria Highway.
- Reduce the Annual Average Time of Closure to less than 12 hours at the crossings.
- Increase year round accessibility for the pastoral, agricultural and transport industries, tourism and local users on the National Highway.
This section of the Victoria Highway forms part of the main route to the Bulla and Amanbidji communities, and is utilised by the Bradshaw Defence facility in the vicinity.
Images
Image shows impact on Bradshaw Bridge during 2008 flood. Adjacent is existing Little Horse Bridge.
Image shows 3D depiction of design for Big Horse Bridge
Contact
Project manager: Jay Brewster-O'Brien
Phone: 08 8999 4835
Email: jay.brewster-o'brien@nt.gov.au
Last updated: 04 November 2020
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