A concept design for the Murdoch Drive Connection to Roe Highway and Kwinana Freeway has been approved.
Federal Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities Paul Fletcher said the project would relieve peak time congestion on Murdoch Drive, South Street and Kwinana Freeway upon completion in 2019.
“The Murdoch Drive Connection is a long planned project required to support the ongoing economic development of the Murdoch Activity Centre, which has the potential to become the largest employer in the Metropolitan Area outside of the Perth CBD,” Mr Fletcher said.
“The project will support an estimated 700 jobs and will lead to shorter and more predictable journey times for those who work or live in the Murdoch precinct, as well as visitors to patients of Fiona Stanley Hospital.”
“It will provide better access for workers, patients and students accessing the precinct from the south and east and complement major upgrades to Kwinana Freeway, relieving congestion and improving journey times.”
WA Minister for Transport Rita Saffioti said the concept design had been carefully refined since the project was announced in May 2017 to reflect feedback from local government and the community.
Consultation activity co-ordinated by the WA Government has included a public information session in August, attended by nearly 350 people.
“The finalised concept design for the Murdoch Drive Connection balances the core project requirement of improved, two-way access to the Murdoch Activity Centre from Kwinana Freeway and Roe Highway, and the concerns raised by the local community of additional traffic movements on local roads,” Ms Saffioti said.
“There are still a couple of minor access issues that need to be resolved but Main Roads will continue to work closely with the cities of Cockburn and Melville, through a Technical Working Group, to address these items.”
A program of early works is currently underway to prepare the site for construction in early 2018. Activity includes earthworks and the establishment of a site office.
The Australian Government is providing $92.5 million towards the $100 million project and the WA Government is providing $7.5 million.