Source : the age
WA Labor has committed to a $700 million widening of the Kwinana Freeway from Roe Highway to Mortimer Road, but wants the federal government to tip in half the cost.
Premier Roger Cook announced the $350 million commitment in his home electorate of Kwinana on Wednesday morning, which would mean another round of widening works for southern suburbs commuters on the busy stretch of road after the last round of lane additions in the 2010s.
WA Premier Roger Cook.Credit: Ross Swanborough
Under the plan, an additional lane would be added in both south and northbound directions between Russell Road and Mortimer Road, taking the section of freeway from two lanes to three.
Another lane would be added southbound between Roe Highway and Berrigan Drive, expanding the freeway to five lanes, and another lane would be added from Russell Road to Beeliar Drive, taking it to four lanes.
The freeway would also be converted to a smart freeway from Safety Bay Road to Roe Highway, with traffic signals at on-ramps to control traffic flow.
Labor has started this week with a congestion election commitment blitz after promising a fix of the Erindale Road Reid Highway intersection on Tuesday. But, like that project, the Kwinana Freeway widening requires the federal government to stump up half the costs.
“I don’t think it’s too far-fetched to say today is the most exciting announcement of all,” Cook said.
“We’re saying, and without a hint of a conflict of interest, that if re-elected, the WA Labor government will widen the Kwinana Freeway between Beeliar Drive and Mortimer Road to get the freeway moving again,” he said.
“I’ve lived here since 2009 and look, I’ve driven that stretch of the freeway thousands, literally thousands of times, and like so many West Aussies in this part of the world, I’m immensely frustrated with the pinch points that happened between Mortimer Road and Russell Road.
“This will mean that for all those people in the southern suburbs, 100,000 traffic movements a day will be able to avoid these pinch points.”
Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the government would also replace the wire barriers separating traffic from the Mandurah train line with concrete barriers.
She said by 2031, 20,000 more vehicle movements would be recorded on the freeway and the average commuter would save 10 minutes.
Saffioti said construction would begin in 2028, with completion set for 2030.
Labor also committed to a number of other road projects in the southern suburbs.
Other Labor southern suburb commitments
- $17 million to build roundabouts at the intersections of Kargotich Road with Abernethy Road, Orton Road and Gossage Road, supporting the growth of Byfordand Mundijong
- $7 million to deliver upgrades to the Baldivis Road and Kulija Road intersection including new traffic signals and an additional westbound through lane on KulijaRoad to avoid queues back to the freeway interchange in the morning peak periods
- $1.5 million contribution towards the upgrade of the intersection of Nicholson Roadand Warton Road
