It’s a long way from Pakistan to the Epping Road Upgrade but helping deliver safer and more-reliable travel is all part of the journey for Donnybrook’s Sumaira Amanat.
Ms Amanat immigrated from Pakistan to Australia in 2017 in search of a career in construction and better education for her young children.
Now she’s an Environmental Advisor on the Epping Road Upgrade, working daily in her own neighbourhood as part of a diverse and vibrant project team.
Ms Amanat reflected on her career journey as the team celebrated the important contributions of its female members for International Women’s Day on Friday 8 March. She’s part of a large team of women working on the project in roles covering everything from plant operation and safety through to engineering and communications.
Ms Amanat works for McConnell Dowell, the construction partner helping us deliver the Epping Road Upgrade. Regularly on-site, she helps ensure the project complies with its environmental plans and approvals to minimise impacts on the environment and community.
Ms Amanat knows the Epping Road project area intimately. She’s on the road daily, not only for work purposes but also family activities such as taking her 3 children to school or day care and shopping with husband Ferhan.
As a local, Ms Amanat is especially excited about the upgrade’s benefits for the 35,000 drivers who use Epping Road daily in Melbourne’s north.
The upgrade is adding extra lanes between Craigieburn Road East in Wollert and Memorial Avenue in Epping. The project will also upgrade key intersections and build sections of shared walking and cycling paths and new on-road bicycle lanes to improve safety and connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists.
Completion of the Epping Road Upgrade is due in 2025.