More than $41 million of upgrades and safety improvements is currently underway across the South-West, as part of the biggest regional road safety upgrade program the State has seen.
Road Safety Minister Paul Papalia, who is this week travelling throughout the region, reminded motorists to be patient and plan ahead, as major roadworks are completed.
Traffic management remains in place on the Bussell Highway as stage one of the $85 million duplication project, which includes five kilometres of dual carriageway between Spurr Street and Hutton Road, nears completion.
Safety improvement work to realign three-kilometres of the South Western Highway near Brookhampton has also commenced, along with pre-construction work for a roundabout at Vittoria Road.
As part of a partnership between the State and Commonwealth Governments, important safety treatments like shoulder sealing, the installation of audible edge and audible centre lines is being installed on around 430 kilometres of South-West roads including: Coalfields Highway, Collie-Mumballup Road, Boyanup Picton Road, Lakelands-Lake Clifton Road, Brockman Highway, Bannister-Marradong Road, Greenlands Road, Melville-Mandurah Road, Pinjarra Road, South Western Highway, Sues Road, Vasse Highway and Forrest Highway,
These safety treatments aim to significantly reduce the risks associated with run-off road crashes.
Significantly, over $980 million of road works is being delivered in the South-West, including;
- $41 million from the $455 million Regional Road Safety Program;
- $852 million for construction of the Bunbury Outer Ring Road;
- $85 million to duplicate the Bussell Highway, between Busselton and Capel;
- $7 million upgrades to South Western Highway between Brookhampton Road and Tassone Road, at Thompsons Hill; and
- $2.1 million for Construction of a roundabout at the intersection of South Western Highway and Vittoria Road.
As stated by Road Safety Minister Paul Papalia:
"This is the biggest single investment in regional road safety WA has ever seen.
"Sadly, far too many crashes still occur in our regional areas.
"Many of these crashes are a result of simple mistakes and single vehicle run offs
"Safety treatments like these will make a huge difference and make these roads safer."
