 The northernmost section of highway , from Great Northern Highway to Port Hedland , was made part of Great Northern Highway in early 1996 . Over a ten @-@ year period from 1996 to 2006 , numerous improvements were made to the highway , with sections widened , reconstructed , and realigned . Intersections and stretches through townsites were also redesigned , existing bridges were strengthened , and new bridges replaced older bridges or floodways . Additional work was necessary to repair damage from natural events . Sections washed away by floods in January 2003 were rebuilt , and opened in October of that year , and repairs to the damage from Cyclone Monty in March 2004 were completed that November . 
