Has anyone been on the Freeway extension or new highway yet?
"It should come in for good use in Salmon season".
Kwinana Freeway extension - Forrest Highway opens up South-West
Today’s opening of the $705million Kwinana Freeway extension and Forrest Highway signifies a new era for Western Australia’s road network.
In officially opening the State’s biggest ever road infrastructure project, the Premier, Colin Barnett, and Transport Minister Simon O’Brien said the highway would significantly redefine Bunbury and the South-West’s role in the future development of WA.
The Premier said the construction of this strategic piece of infrastructure would provide a world-class transport corridor, in the form of a continuous dual carriageway from Perth to Bunbury.
“The opening of the freeway extension and new highway will take 30 minutes off the journey between Perth and Bunbury and provide a much safer route,” he said.
“It brings the South-West significantly closer to the metropolitan area, bringing with it immeasurable long term economic benefits.
“It will significantly enhance tourism opportunities for the South-West region, one of the most popular destinations for Western Australians as well as interstate and overseas visitors.”
Transport Minister Simon O’Brien said the project, the biggest road building program ever undertaken in WA history, had transcended three successive State and two successive Federal governments.
The project has been jointly funded by the State and Commonwealth governments, with the State contributing $375million and the Federal Government $330million.
“This has been a joint effort and I acknowledge the contribution made by the Federal Government and the Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese,” he said.
The Minister said the project was a credit to the thousands of men and women who worked on the project.
“More than 3,000 workers toiled for a combined 3.8 million man-hours without loss time injury to bring this project to fruition. Each and every one of them is to be congratulated on a job well done,” he said.
Mr O’Brien said the Kwinana Freeway extension and Forrest Highway featured a number of engineering feats.
“The 70.5km of new dual carriageway features six interchanges, 10 intersections and 19 bridges,” he said.
“More than 12 million tonnes of sand and one million tonnes of crushed rock base was used, while 27,000 cubic metres of concrete was laid. There is 32km of principal shared path for pedestrians and cyclists.
“The Murray River bridge is the biggest bridge constructed along the alignment and consists of two separate structures, each measuring 272m.
“The Serpentine River bridge consists of two separate structures, each measuring 112m.”
Mr O’Brien said many local communities had already benefited significantly during the project’s construction phase.
“The road builders awarded more than 372 contracts, with 36 per cent of these going to companies based in the outer metropolitan, Peel and South-West, representing a $105million investment in the region,” he said.
“Much of this has gone back into the local community, creating employment opportunities and supporting local business.”
In officially opening the Kwinana Freeway extension and Forrest Highway, the Premier said that it should be viewed as a key moment in the State’s transport history and reflected on the naming of the new linkage.
“Born in Bunbury, Sir John Forrest was our State’s first Premier, a cabinet minister in Australia’s first Federal Parliament and a man remembered for his exploration work through WA’s interior,” Mr Barnett said.
“It is highly appropriate that this vital road link to our State’s South-West region should honour Sir John Forrest.
“This project is more than just simple road; it is an intergenerational investment in Perth and the broader South-West’s future.
“May all those who travel on it do so in a safe manner.”
Moderator. Proud member of the Fishwrecked "Old Farts". Make sure your subscribed to Fishwrecked Reeltime http://fishwrecked-reeltime.com/
wadetolley
Posts: 2258
Date Joined: 27/06/08
Missed
Missed the opening on my way to Buno yesterday. Took me 3 hours to get from Ballajura to Bunbury. The new extension already caused an accident yesterday before it even opened. The back end of a shinny black commodore was bent up bigtime! People to busy looking at the new signs..and not the car stopped in front of them.
GusG
Posts: 547
Date Joined: 07/04/08
That will make the run down
That will make the run down south a bit of a breeze now. Thanks fellas you wait until I leave and then open it :)
hlokk
Posts: 4290
Date Joined: 04/04/08
Ah finally. Been a fair few
Ah finally. Been a fair few delays, and speculation of when it would open.
“The opening of the freeway extension and new highway will take 30 minutes off the journey between Perth and Bunbury and provide a much safer route,”
Probably more, seeing as you would probably get better traffic flow and straighter roads (some people cant stay at a speed limit)
A few benefits:
110kmh (damn well better be at least!)
Straight roads instead of the windy old ones.
Get stuck behind less cars for a few km only to have them speed up when its the dual overtaking lanes.
Hopefully separated by trees in the middle so I can leave my highbeams on instead of constantly flicking them on and off while getting blinded by incoming traffic.
Probably make it easier to spot kangaroos and safer to avoid.
and most of all....
Bypass Mandurah! (damn you 80-stoplight-80-70-stoplight-70-60-stoplight-70-60-stoplight-60-70-90-70-60-stoplight.......)
Bodie
Posts: 3758
Date Joined: 05/11/07
dont think it will be 110km
dont think it will be 110km it iwll be 100km :)
fishy fingers
Posts: 1719
Date Joined: 28/04/07
100 and 110
It's 100k's until it meets the dual carriage way then 110 from there on
hlokk
Posts: 4290
Date Joined: 04/04/08
Isnt all the new stuff dual
Isnt all the new stuff dual carriageway? It straight, its double lane, it has wide shoulders and a rumble strip, why is it not 110kmh?
The best section is where its dual carriageway separated by trees, but i forget if thats after Bunbury or not (think it is?). Pretty sure thats 110, so why not the new section?
fishy fingers
Posts: 1719
Date Joined: 28/04/07
No it's not
Freeway rules until forrest hwy then hwy rules!! and the dual carriage way with trees is north of bunbury
Big Fella fishn
Posts: 115
Date Joined: 04/05/09
Going to try it on the way home
so will let you know what i think a bit later. Work in Pinjarra and live south of Dawesville so i am gunna see how long it takes.
fishy fingers
Posts: 1719
Date Joined: 28/04/07
May take you a bit far south
Dont know if it will be much help to you Mark.
PJAY
Posts: 1005
Date Joined: 12/05/09
its kwinana fwy all the way
its kwinana fwy all the way to pinjarra road 100km zone. after pinjarra rd it becomes forrest hwy and 110km zone.........no trees anywhere....straight flat road.
The Kimberley....perfect one day and more perfect the next!!!
fishy fingers
Posts: 1719
Date Joined: 28/04/07
Old coast road
hlokk means where it joins the old coast road.
Big Fella fishn
Posts: 115
Date Joined: 04/05/09
Your Right Nick!
Took me an extra 27kms (+15 mins extra) time getting home, and that was turning off the highway and onto The Old Bunbury Rd on to Coast Rd. Good Highway tho, the old Hilux was struggling against the head wind... It was absolutely howling thru there being so open and not a great deal of tree's for windbrake. Coppers sitting on there waiting to nab an easy feed..
Must admit it's fantastic on Old Coast Rd around my place at the moment.. The road is almost dead,,,almost eery!!.
Cheers
Mark
damo6230
Posts: 2029
Date Joined: 07/06/08
cant believe the monkey antics from the pollies on Sunday
anyone would think thats it the first freeway in the friggin universe..........
it's 2009 and it's the first/biggest road project in WA.........
another fantastic effort from the monkey brigade........
must have been "free scissors for all" at the opening.
what backyard politics.....
makes you wonder how such monkies can organise economic projects such as gorgon.........
hlokk
Posts: 4290
Date Joined: 04/04/08
Free scissors? Theres
Free scissors? Theres something I hope they can pick up and run with.
Reminds me a bit of how little kids can be proud of doing certain things at a certain age (and its usually something someone else will have to clean up anyways, haha)
HuggyB
Posts: 2515
Date Joined: 03/08/08
the state government have sweet FA
to do with "organising" Gorgon, thats why.....
The Terrorist - coming to a fishing spot near you.........
damo6230
Posts: 2029
Date Joined: 07/06/08
better check the signatures on the offical documents then.....
wonder if they can even spell their own names.......
PJAY
Posts: 1005
Date Joined: 12/05/09
must be getting close to
must be getting close to election time again???
The Kimberley....perfect one day and more perfect the next!!!
kempy
Posts: 810
Date Joined: 28/05/09
so where can oversize loads
so where can oversize loads join onto the high way
Dinkum Auto Electrical A/C & Mechanical Unit 10/16 Kent way Malaga 0438755754 Also Mobile
Open 7 days except when we are fishn For all your auto electrical needs
PJAY
Posts: 1005
Date Joined: 12/05/09
the highway starts after the
the highway starts after the pinjarra rd intersection so i guess it would be there???
The Kimberley....perfect one day and more perfect the next!!!
kempy
Posts: 810
Date Joined: 28/05/09
ok
ok
Dinkum Auto Electrical A/C & Mechanical Unit 10/16 Kent way Malaga 0438755754 Also Mobile
Open 7 days except when we are fishn For all your auto electrical needs
Blank Cheque
Posts: 221
Date Joined: 28/03/09
Took a couple of patients up to Fremantle from Peel on it today
Got on at Lakes Rd Mandurah off at Leach and into freo hospital. Took about the same time as the old route though Rockingham but a much better ride for the unwell in the back of the ambulance.
Garry
Its a little late to head home early
dan1
Posts: 379
Date Joined: 11/07/07
we came back from perth on
we came back from perth on sun arvo when it was open we left city center at 3.30 were at the bottom of the old fwy at 4.00 pm then 4.30pm at lake clifton thon home at 5.00 pm in bunbury 1 1/2 hours thats awesome
GusG
Posts: 547
Date Joined: 07/04/08
Only one problem with trees
Only one problem with trees on the median strip Hlokk, gives the coppers more places to hide
hlokk
Posts: 4290
Date Joined: 04/04/08
If it was like on the lower
If it was like on the lower dual carriageway sections, they'd either only be able to park on the left (and you'd see them from ages away anyways).
Though, I have a sure-fire way of avoiding speeding fines anyways, so I just use that method :p
GusG
Posts: 547
Date Joined: 07/04/08
only 2 methods to avoid
only 2 methods to avoid it. Drive at the speed limit or detector
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
Hopped onto the freeway in
Hopped onto the freeway in the Wembley area after the WAFL grand final on Sunday, sat on the speed limits all the way and had some big rain squalls causing us to slow a cuppla times and was at the Gull Roadhouse in Myalup to refuel around 80 minutes later. Huge thumbs up from me. 100kmh on the Freeway section and steps up to 110kmh for the Forrest Hwy.
Cheers
Dale
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
Kelvin8r
Posts: 475
Date Joined: 12/08/08
went for a spin to RPH
went for a spin to RPH today, took exactly 1.3hr from my house in Australind to the city center, and exactly 1.3 hrs back. excellent road, flat and straight, wind can cause some havoc tho. overally very impressed