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5 Major Perth Road Projects Causing Motorist Mayhem

From road closures, reduced speed limits, detours and bumper-to-bumper traffic, here are some of Perth’s biggest road projects.

Armadale Road Upgrade

Location: Tapper Road to Anstey Road.

Timeline: Construction commenced March 2018 and is due for completion by the end of 2019.

Scope: Widening a 6.9 kilometre section, including dedicated turning lanes, intersection improvements and new shared path facilities.

The Armadale Road upgrade is one of Perth’s largest current road projects that’s packed full of failed mergers, a zero tolerance for give way, and a bunch of frustrated drivers who just want to go home. This angst can be felt further down Armadale Road as hundreds of drivers attempt to make their way onto the Kwinana Freeway Northbound just before Cockburn. From here they are then greeted with a 2-lane jam-packed, bumper-to-bumper train of sleep deprived drivers ready to explode.

That being said, the benefits of this upgrade hope to bring:

  • Enhanced safety by removing dangerous bottlenecks
  • Improve access to new residential developments Cockburn Train Station, Cockburn Gateway Shopping centre and the Jandakot light industrial area.
  • Improve amenity for cyclists.
  • Improve truck route the South West and South East corridors of Perth Metro Area.

Kwinana Freeway Northbound Widening

Location: Russell Road to Roe Highway

Timeline: Construction commenced in 2018 and is due for completion by the end of 2019.

Scope: Widening an 8-kilometre section of the freeway to create additional northbound lanes and improved shared path facilities. This upgrade forms part of the overall transformation of Kwinana Freeway.

If you haven’t already felt the wrath of the almighty Kwinana Freeway expansion, you’ve been living under a rock. This part of the Freeway has been under construction for the last 2 years and is single-handedly responsible for adding an extra 15 minutes to your morning drive to work.

What was once a pleasant cruise has now become a 2-lane potholed rally, filled with trigger-happy drivers switching lanes with no indication, extra cautious drivers driving 20 under the speed limit, and a zero-tolerance for merging.

Alas, this upgrade is for the greater good and will help:

  • Reduce congestion and improve safety, particularly in the morning peak periods.
  • Provide an extra 1,800 vehicles per hour on the Freeway.

Wanneroo Road and Ocean Reef Road Interchange

Location: Intersection of Wanneroo Road and Ocean Reef Road.

Timeline: Construction commenced in March and is due for completion in mid 2020.

Scope: Project is part of an ongoing congestion improvement in the area and includes the construction of a bridge over Ocean Reef Road and signalised off and on ramps, to improve safety.

It you’re looking for the definition of Congestion in Perth — you’ve found it. From road closures (7pm Friday 22 Nov to 5am Monday 25 Nov), lanes reduced to one, and speeds reduced to 40km/h, this is arguably Perth’s most frustrating road project. For residents in the area, you can enjoy the blissful sounds of equipment and vehicle movements and quality dusty air. Drivers can expect to add an additional 10-15 minutes to their usual drive. 

When the dust finally settles, we’ll have:

  • Improved connectivity and travel times for local business and the community.
  • Improved safety.
  • A more efficient road network, supporting economic activity

Smart Freeway

Location: Kwinana Freeway Northbound, Canning Highway to Narrows Bridge

Timeline: Construction is underway and due for completion in early 2020.

Scope: Smart technology will be used to open and close traffic lanes, adjust speed limits and control the flow of traffic onto the freeway.

This will be Perth’s very first Smart-Freeway and will create an additional lane from Canning Highway to Narrows Bridge. It will provide motorists with greater journey reliability, saving on time, costs and improving road safety. Until this upgrade is complete, motorists can expect bottle necking around the Canning Bridge area all the way up until Narrows Bridge, with 15 minutes added to the journey into the city. There will be minor realignments and resurfacing in several locations, with detours in place at Melville Parade, Judd Street and Mill Point Road.

This technology aims to:

  • Increase road capacity
  • Automatically adjust speed limits based on traffic demands during congested periods.
  • Allow more vehicles onto the Freeway as well as reducing stop-start conditions by managing the flow of traffic.
  • Improved journey times on the Kwinana Freeway as far south as Roe Highway

Roe Highway and Kalamunda Road Interchange

Location: Roe Highway and Kalamunda Road Interchange

Timeline: Construction started early Sep 2019 and is expected to be completed by 2021.

Scope: Project involves construction of a grade-separated intersection, including a new bridge, two roundabouts and on and off ramps.

Drivers travelling between Maida Vale Road and Kalamunda Road can expect some delays, with the speed limit reduced to 60km/h. For all you cyclists out there, construction of a new Principal Shared Path extension is underway between Berkshire Road and Maida Vale, which aims for greater connectivity as part of the PSP network expansion of WA Bicycle Network Plan.

The benefit of this upgrade includes:

  • Reduced congestion
  • Improve road safety
  • Improve access and reduce journey times in the eastern suburbs
  • More efficient and reliable movement of freight.