Media Release: Work starts on major Armadale Road upgrade

Traffic relief is on the way for Perth motorists with construction kicking off on the widening of Armadale Road in the city’s south.

Premier Mark McGowan, Federal Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities Paul Fletcher and State Transport Minister Rita Saffioti today turned the first sod on the project, which will upgrade a 6.9 kilometre section of Armadale Road to a dual carriageway in each direction.

The Turnbull Government is providing $116 million for the project, with the McGowan Government providing $29 million.

Mr McGowan said the upgrade to Armadale Road would help to ease congestion in the southern suburbs, improve safety and create jobs for Western Australians. 

“The creation of a dual carriageway and the removal of dangerous bottlenecks will lead to more predictable journey times for road users. 

“2018 will be a big year for road improvements across Perth, with at least eight major road projects starting construction while many others will reach planning completion and be released for tender.”

“The State Government is getting on with the job of delivering important upgrades across Perth’s suburbs to complement our METRONET vision.”

Mr Fletcher said the project would provide a safer, smoother journey for the more than 27,000 vehicles that use Armadale Road each day between Tapper Road and Warton Road.

“This project will support over 850 direct and indirect jobs and is yet another example of how the Turnbull Government’s $6.8 billion investment in infrastructure in Western Australia is boosting the state’s economy and creating thousands of jobs,” Mr Fletcher said.

“The upgrade of this important traffic corridor will ensure motorists and truck drivers have a safer, more efficient link in south Perth’s increasingly busy road network.

“It will also transform the strategic freight route from a single carriageway road suited to a semi-rural environment to a dual carriageway urban road able to service the ongoing commercial and residential development of the area.”

Ms Saffioti said the Armadale Road project was part of a series of major upgrades that would address Perth’s most congested roads and create much-needed jobs.

“This upgrade is one of a pipeline of road projects getting underway in 2018, together worth $750 million and expected to create around 4500 jobs.”

“In coming years, commuters will notice a real difference in journey times as we see the string of projects reach completion.”

“The Armadale Road widening in particular will provide better access to new residential developments, Cockburn Train Station, Cockburn Gateway Shopping Centre and the Jandakot Industrial Area,” Ms Saffioti said.

The project is expected to be completed in late 2019, weather permitting, and is being constructed by the Metropolitan Road Improvement Alliance.