[dallas]

Reid Highway Overpass - Next stage of Perth's freeway network
Further information

Published July 2009

The intersection of Reid Highway and Alexander Drive is to be significantly upgraded with the construction of an overpass on Reid Highway. Planning for this project is already underway and will continue during 2009. Construction is expected to begin in June 2010 with completion of the project scheduled for April 2011.

The benefits of an overpass

The intersection of Reid Highway and Alexander Drive is Western Australia’s most notorious black spot, costing the
community some $10m over the last five years in road crashes. More than 75,000 vehicles use this intersection every
day and at peak periods can experience significant delays.

Constructing an overpass on Reid Highway at Alexander Drive will significantly improve safety and efficiency at this intersection by reducing congestion. The new interchange will also be a major boost to public transport, reducing delays for bus commuters, and bring environmental benefits by reducing vehicle emissions.

The design

The land required to build the Reid Highway overpass has been reserved in Western Australia’s Metropolitan Region
Scheme since the 1960s. To be constructed in a traditional ‘diamond’ layout, the improved intersection will include two separate bridges along Reid Highway over Alexander Drive – leaving space in between to provide future public transport facilities – as well as signalised southern and northern on and off ramps.

In addition, Alexander Drive will be widened to provide a double southbound right turn to Reid Highway westbound
and a bus lane in each direction through both sets of traffic signals. Wide, sealed shoulders along Reid Highway will be
retained for safe, on-road cycling and vehicle breakdown while noise walls and visual intrusion barriers, including landscaping, will be used to maintain the amenity of the area.

The project also makes provision for public art on the bridge abutments.

Funding

Funding for the $72m project includes a contribution of $10m from the Federal Government.

 

[crazyknightsfan]

^ I admire your perserverance dallas

 

[Bulbous]

i have the drawings sitting on my desk as we speak......

 

[dallas]

Give us a real Foreshore!

Courtesy of BartBart

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.as...ntentID=155302

It is a holiday tradition the million people who visit the South-West each year will be only too happy to farewell.

Within weeks, the traffic jams, red lights and occasional smashes that have marred the journeys of countless holidaymakers should be all but consigned to history.

VIDEO: New Bunbury highway

Replacing the bumper-to-bumper nightmare will be the long-awaited Perth to Bunbury Highway, a 70.5km, $705 million project designed to take 30 minutes off the trip.

The builders, Southern Gateway Alliance, would not give an opening date, saying only that it would be months ahead of the scheduled opening in December and that next month was a chance, though September now was more likely.

With just 16 per cent (about 43,000 tonnes) of asphalt to be laid and other finishing touches to come, much will depend on the weather gods, who have shone kindly on the project so far but could throw a spanner in the works with some untimely downpours in coming weeks.

As The West Australian drove the full length of the nearly-completed highway yesterday — the biggest road project to be completed in one hit in the State — it became clear this would be anything but a road less travelled.

“It will mean that people can drive from the Narrows Bridge all the way to Bunbury on dual carriageway, non stop and without traffic lights,” assistant project director Gerry Hofmann said, standing under one of the 19 bridges. “It will be a terrific boon for the South-West.”

The project is a 32km extension to the Kwinana Freeway and 38.5km of dual carriageway, called the John Forrest Highway, which links the end of the lengthened freeway to the start of the Old Coast Road dual carriageway just south of Lake Clifton.

Computerised surveying using satellite technology revolutionised the construction process and, with the help of fine weather, shaved months off its planned schedule.

With construction crews the only other road users, The West Australian’s sneak peek had the feel of a leisurely drive through the countryside as the 11.7m paved width of asphalt cut a swath through lush green paddocks and over rivers and swollen creeks.

Its proximity to some homes was a reminder of the impact on about 250 rural and residential property owners, some of whom are still negotiating with the State Government over the acquisition of their land. It is hoped that 21km of noise-deadening walls and sound treatments on homes will help limit complaints.

Much work has been done on ensuring the trip is as comfortable as possible for the 30,000 motorists expected to use the road daily.

Water-themed artwork, a feature of the Mandurah lifestyle community leaders had asked to be included along the journey, will undoubtedly turn heads and provide visual relief.

It includes a series of stunning, cone-shaped water “droplets” built by a team led by North Fremantle artist Anne Neil.

Fences to prevent kangaroos and other animals wandering into traffic seemed to be working — blocking two emus trying to get to the other side. Special underpasses have been included to give them a safer path under the highway.

Alannah MacTiernan, the former State Labor minister who got the project off the ground after a five-year funding battle with the former Federal Liberal government, is one person hoping for an invitation to the opening.

If she has her way, the new highway will not be the last project cutting travel times to Bunbury.

Ms MacTiernan said the project had been designed to accommodate a fast railway — something she believed was possible within the next decade.

However, as she pointed out, first things first.

“It was quite clear that the huge growth in Mandurah alone couldn’t accommodate all that traffic, so this project will be wonderful for the State,” Ms MacTiernan said.

“I obviously would have liked to have been there the day the ribbon was cut but it doesn’t always work out that way.”

BEN SPENCER
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Also courtesy of BartBart (with pictures on the web page listed below)
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=896898&page=6

WHAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE DEVIATION
• 30,000 cars are expected to use it daily
• It has 70.5km of dual carriageway
• 32km is developed to freeway standard
• There is 21km of noise deadening wall
• 22ha of artificially created wetlands have been made
• More than 2000 workers were involved in the project
• About 250 residential properties have been affected
• There are 19 bridges
• There are 15 underpasses for use by kangaroos and other fauna
• Construction began in December 2006
• Completion was originally scheduled for December, but it could be open
as early as next month
• It will reduce travel between Perth and Bunbury by about
30 minutes

 

[docker]

here's a map of the Reid Highway Overpass over Alexander Dr

http://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/Buil...ighwayOverpass/Pages/ReidHighwayOverpass.aspx

 

[essendon bombers]

I understand there is a statewide bitumen shortage in WA due to fast completion of Bunbury Hwy and ongoing works on other hwys of state significance? It caused a 3 week delay on Bunbury Hwy.

 

[frozenzeus]

where are the bus lanes and what purpose do they serve if they are only 50m long??

 

[crazyknightsfan]

^ i have no idea what you're on about

but i imagine 50m bus lanes are queue jumps at a signalised intersection

 

[docker]

Reid Hwy extension

 

[dallas]

Update on the Perth Bunbury Freeway from the company's website

When is it opening?
While the New Perth Bunbury Highway project is in the final stages
of construction, a specific opening date has not yet been identified.
Southern Gateway Alliance is still on target to deliver the project several
months before the December 2009 contract end and is working hard to open
the road to traffic as soon as possible.
A number of factors influence the project’s completion, which is currently at
around 98 per cent. The primary factor is the wet weather, which prohibits the laying of asphalt and greatly slows other finishing works.
As soon as SGA is confident in setting an official opening date, it will be
announced publicly, through state media outlets, advertisements and on the
project website.
While opening the highly-awaited road as soon as possible is a key target
for the project team, the most important goal is delivering a safe road of the
highest standard.
Like you, the project team is very excited to the deliver the new route and
looks forward to the official opening later this year.

Construction changes at Lymon Road in Stake Hill
With the Government’s recent decision to bring forward the Mandurah Entrance Road (MER) project, Southern Gateway Alliance has reviewed the construction program for the New Perth Bunbury Highway project in the
Stake Hill area. As a result, the final stages of construction and access arrangements have changed.

As part of the NPBH project, the overpass at Lymon Road will now be upgraded to an interchange to accommodate future traffic requirements. Consequently, traffic conditions in the area will change to maintain access for residents and road users. The changes are expected to occur in a number of stages.

Stage 1
For the last month, due to Sheoak Road becoming a cul-de-sac, traffic has been diverted onto a temporary crossover located approximately 1km north of the severed road. The temporary crossover directs traffic up and over the NPBH main alignment connecting Woodland Parade to the east and Stock Road to the west. Due to the recent change in program, traffic will remain on the temporary crossover until approximately two weeks prior to the opening of the NPBH. At this time, traffic will be diverted onto the NPBH alignment
between Lymon and Lakes Road, so the temporary crossover can be
removed. For this two week period, the section of freeway that traffic will
be diverted onto will be deemed a ‘diversion road’ rather than a ‘freeway
road reserve’, which ensures mopeds, tractors etc will be able to use it.

Stage 2
It has always been proposed that once the overpass at Lymon Road was upgraded to an interchange, Stock Road to the west of the NPBH alignment would become a cul-de-sac at the northern most property facing Stock Road.
This will occur in conjunction with the opening of the NPBH and will result
in residents on Stock Road having to travel south to access the NPBH, via
the Lakes Road interchange. Stake Hill residents to the east of the NPBH alignment will gain access to the NPBH via the interchange at Lymon
Road, providing direct access north to Perth or south to Bunbury. To access
Mandurah and surrounding areas, Stake Hill residents will travel a short
distance along the NPBH and exit via the Lakes Road interchange until the
MER is constructed, which will ultimately provide a direct link into Mandurah.

When the NPBH is officially opened to traffic, Stake Hill residents will need
Access points as part of the New Perth Bunbury Highway project to travel a freeway road reserve until the MER is also open. SGA recognises that this may present an issue for some residents whose primary mode of transport does not have a right of way access to a freeway road reserve, for example, mopeds. To overcome this issue, SGA will construct a temporary access track to provide 24 hour access for mopeds or equivalent, and a controlled access for tractors and oversize vehicles, until MER is opened to traffic.

 

[Bullswool]

July Pics of the Kwinana Freeway extension and Forest Highway
http://www.sgalliance.com.au/npbh/publications_gallery_aerials.php

It is one sexy road, can't wait to drive it!

 

[glasscity]

now that the Bunbury Freeway is finished , which I think is great maybe the state Govt can focus on the Reid , Roe and Tonkin and upgrade to proper freeaway standard . I know freeways get a bad wrap nowdows but I think for a car city like Perth they are essential. surely free flowing traffic must be better then long traffic jams. I think now that GM and the others in Detroit have had a kick in the pants by President Obama will will see environmental friendly cars in the coming decades . In which case we still need roads. final rant , it is about balance we need good effiecient freeways and major roads, light rail systems and heavy rail. at the end of the day public transport sometimes is not an option

 

[Bulbous]

I have just finished working on the preliminary overlays for the new Roe/Great Eastern Highway grade separated interchange, and it should be a funky one..... will require new bridges over the rail line (and the railways have requested that they keep their entire easement under the highway - which used to be the old yard throat, nice and wide - for future expansion to the east), Clayton Street, and Great Eastern Highway......

The interesting thing is that the ramps to the north of the GEH finish/start just before the Morrisson Road lights, which makes grade sep in a diamond style of that intersection impossible later on..... the other thing is that the area set aside for the Perth-Adelaide Highway interchange is not too far north of the Morrisson Road lights, so maybe this will get bridged over with no allowance for access there..... You would have to go to either GEH or the PAH out near Stratton to access it.

I guess they might just leave the lights there, but it makes no sense to allow all the northbound traffic to get up to speed just in time to stop right away....... I know it doesn't matter what makes sense here, but when you see the layout, this takes the cake.......

 

[Bullswool]

Hey I hope you don't mind, but I've added your post to the transport thread in the WA section

Roe/GEH will be a diamond interchange correct? Looking at the current layout of Roe Highway, its going to have to be moved to fit the interchange in? Quite a tight area for it to be going in!

 

[docker]

I have just finished working on the preliminary overlays for the new Roe/Great Eastern Highway grade separated interchange, and it should be a funky one..... will require new bridges over the rail line (and the railways have requested that they keep their entire easement under the highway - which used to be the old yard throat, nice and wide - for future expansion to the east), Clayton Street, and Great Eastern Highway......

The interesting thing is that the ramps to the north of the GEH finish/start just before the Morrisson Road lights, which makes grade sep in a diamond style of that intersection impossible later on..... the other thing is that the area set aside for the Perth-Adelaide Highway interchange is not too far north of the Morrisson Road lights, so maybe this will get bridged over with no allowance for access there..... You would have to go to either GEH or the PAH out near Stratton to access it.

I guess they might just leave the lights there, but it makes no sense to allow all the northbound traffic to get up to speed just in time to stop right away....... I know it doesn't matter what makes sense here, but when you see the layout, this takes the cake.......

isn't the morrison road intersection meant to be made into a folded diamond intersection anyway, so the ramps could be put a fair bit further north of morrison road anyway, giving the space needed, to seperate the on/off ramps between Morrison road and GEH?

also bullswool, Roe Hwy will have to get moved to the east for the kalamunda road intersection when that gets built too, and if you look at the intersection of Berkshire road and Roe Hwy, you can see the future alingement when that upgraded intersection gets built too.

 

[Bullswool]

Are there any plans for that to happen in the near future? They should just finish it off... not many intersections left on Roe to make it a freeway the entire length... all those sections north of Tonkin are getting quite dodgy

 

[dallas]

Finally, the next part of the Perth freeway network is to begin construction in the not too distant future. There have been a number of accidents at the Roe and Great Eastern Highway junction over the years, one I remember from the early 90's involved a semi trailer and 18 cars. After years of broken promises, it's finally on the way.

Planning is underway for a new interchange at the intersection of Great Eastern Highway (GEH) and Roe Highway. This interchange will enable Roe Highway traffic to flow freely over Great Eastern Highway via a bridge and significantly improve the integration of connecting traffic.

We have developed a preliminary concept for the new interchange, which addressed the unbalanced traffic demand due to the large number of heavy vehicle movements. This preliminary concept includes a loop ramp to handle the heavy right turn movement from Roe Highway to Great Eastern Highway eastbound. It also includes a slip lane southbound on the ramp to Roe Highway.

Input from the local residential and business community plays an important role in this phase. We have briefed surrounding residents, business owners and community groups about the project and established a Community Reference Group (CRG). Feedback from this group and other community and stakeholder consultation will be used to refine the concept plan before Expressions of Interest are sought for the Design and Construct contract. The CRG will also be asked to provide feedback during the construction phase.

The project will be jointly funded by the Federal and State governments, with a commitments to contribute $60m already agreed upon. Subject to the remainder of the funding being allocated, we expect to start the tendering process to prequalified tenderers in early 2010 and award a contract in late 2010. Construction would be expected to start in early 2011 and be completed within approximately 18 months.


About the intersection

The intersection of Roe Highway and Great Eastern Highway, forms part of the metropolitan outer ring road linking major industrial and commercial centres, the Perth Airport and Fremantle Port with major radial transport routes, including the Perth-Adelaide and Perth-Darwin National Highways.

Currently about 60,000 vehicles use the intersection every day and on average experience a delay of three traffic light changes; longer during peak periods. Traffic modelling shows vehicle movements will increase to 90,000 by 2021 and 106,000 by 2031. The intersection is also recognised as one of the top ten traffic black spots in the metropolitan area and in the past five years has recorded more than 220 crashes.

The intersection is also part of a primary heavy haulage route, handling about 6000 truck movements per day. On a typical day, more than 10 per cent of the traffic is heavy vehicles such as road trains and B-doubles. Great Eastern Highway is also an important designated route for high-wide loads coming in and out of Perth.

Roe Highway/Great Eastern Highway i...t design (July 2009) (1 page PDF 320 KB)[url]

 

[docker]

^^ except, that accident would still occur once the flyover happens as there is still traffic lights there anyway, but also there is a gravel trap just before the rail-lines so it shouldn't happen again, but unfortunately one of my high school teachers lost his daughter in that accident

but i do agree with how good it is to get rid of the intersection of Roe, just need the others to proceed as well.

 

[Auxodium]

I have just finished working on the preliminary overlays for the new Roe/Great Eastern Highway grade separated interchange, and it should be a funky one..... will require new bridges over the rail line (and the railways have requested that they keep their entire easement under the highway - which used to be the old yard throat, nice and wide - for future expansion to the east), Clayton Street, and Great Eastern Highway......

The interesting thing is that the ramps to the north of the GEH finish/start just before the Morrisson Road lights, which makes grade sep in a diamond style of that intersection impossible later on..... the other thing is that the area set aside for the Perth-Adelaide Highway interchange is not too far north of the Morrisson Road lights, so maybe this will get bridged over with no allowance for access there..... You would have to go to either GEH or the PAH out near Stratton to access it.

I guess they might just leave the lights there, but it makes no sense to allow all the northbound traffic to get up to speed just in time to stop right away....... I know it doesn't matter what makes sense here, but when you see the layout, this takes the cake.......

Yeah noticed that with Morrisson Road. Would they make that a partial interchange like Erindale Road or a Farrington Road?

 

[smeghead]

Yeah noticed that with Morrisson Road. Would they make that a partial interchange like Erindale Road or a Farrington Road?

The alternative is the set up at the Cedric St and Karrinyup Rd interchanges on the Mitchell Fwy. i.e. collector and express lanes.