Margaret River Perimeter Road
The Margaret River Perimeter Road is a highway bypass of Margaret River, Western Australia. The seven-kilometre-long (4.3 mi) road deviates Bussell Highway traffic, including heavy vehicles, to the east of the town, and connects to a new airport access road. It is planned to eventually be a dual carriageway, but has initially been constructed as a single carriageway, in two stages.[1] Construction of stage one, from south of Margaret River to Rosa Brook Road,[1] began in December 2014 and was completed in May 2015.[2] Construction of stage two – the remaining northern section[1] – began in September 2017[3] and was completed in February 2019, with an opening in December 2018.[2][4] An extension of John Archibald Drive and the redevelopment of Bussell Highway in the town were included in the business case for constructing stage two.[5]
Margaret River Perimeter Road | |
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General information | |
Type | Highway |
Location | Margaret River |
Length | 7 km (4.3 mi) |
Opened | 2018 |
Major junctions | |
North end | Bussell Highway (State Route 10) |
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South end | Bussell Highway (State Route 10) |
Highway system | |
Stage two of the project received $60 million of funding from The Nationals Western Australia to enable a complete bypass to be constructed, rather than a "road to nowhere".[6] The state government provided the $13 million to construct stage one.[7] The total cost was $47.6 million.[2]
The project underwent an Environmental Impact Assessment and Aboriginal Heritage survey. Action was taken to compensate for the loss of native vegetation,[5] and a zoologist was employed to identify and relocate native fauna at the start of stage one construction.[8]
The perimeter road has been designed to reduce congestion, improve safety for the many pedestrians, including tourists, who use the road, and provide heavy vehicles with a lesser gradient to ascend or descend.[9]
References
- Main Roads Western Australia (November 2013). "Project Overview: Margaret River Perimeter Road" (PDF). Government of Western Australia. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
- "Margaret River Perimeter Road open in time for Christmas". Government of Western Australia. 24 December 2018. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
- "Margaret River Perimeter Road". Main Roads Western Australia. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
- "Margaret River Perimeter Road reaches practical completion". Government of Western Australia. 28 February 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
- Main Roads Western Australia (3 December 2014). "Margaret River Perimeter Road". Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
- "Margaret River Perimeter Road goes somewhere". Augusta-Margaret River Mail. Fairfax Media. 9 September 2014. Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
- Terry, Redman (23 August 2012). "State funds for Margaret River Perimeter Road Stage 1, Redman" (Media release). The Nationals WA. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
- Augusta-Margaret River Times (18 November 2014). "Work starts on Margaret River bypass". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
- South West Development Commission; Regional Development Australia – South West. "Margaret River Perimeter Road" (PDF). South West Action Statement. South West Development Commission. p. 17. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 February 2011. Retrieved 5 December 2014.