- More than $100 million to be allocated to road upgrades in Perth's north
- Major investment will target congestion hot spots that drain productivity
- Investment delivers on Cook Labor Government pre-election commitments
- Perth's worst intersection for congestion, Erindale Road and Reid Highway, to be eliminated by 2031
The upcoming State Budget will target some of the worst congestion hot spots in Perth's northern suburbs, with $113.4 million being allocated across a range of projects.
The investment is headlined by an initial $70 million allocation towards a new grade-separated intersection at Erindale Road and Reid Highway.
Works are scheduled to begin on the grade-separated interchange in 2028-29, with the State Government to allocate a total of $225 million towards the project. A matching contribution of $225 million has been committed by the Commonwealth Government for the project.
The intersection is rated as the worst in the State for congestion, costing the Western Australian economy $21.3 million in 2023-24, with the number of vehicles moving through the intersection each day increasing by around 10 per cent since 2019. Current daily traffic volumes are expected to increase from 60,000 to 111,000 by 2054.
Reid Highway is a critical east-west corridor for the northern suburbs, and the Reid Highway and Erindale Road interchange is the last at-grade intersection between Mitchell Freeway and Tonkin Highway.
Perth's northern roads package also includes a $35.9 million program of works to deliver a range of intersection improvements along Wanneroo Road, including:
- Warwick Road - additional right turn lane on Wanneroo Road, left turn lane modifications on Wanneroo Road, and turn lane extensions;
- Hepburn Avenue - widening the median of Hepburn Avenue to enable a double right turn. Median widening on Wanneroo Road to enable double right turn from Wanneroo Road northbound to Hepburn Avenue westbound;
- Gnangara Road - advanced detector loops to improve queue detection and signal optimisation;
- East Road - realigning Wanneroo Road southbound carriageway further to the west, to bring forward to the give way line on East Road to improve sight lines; and
- Whitfords Avenue to Gnangara Road connection - planning to complete concept design work for the future Whitfords Avenue-Wanneroo Road-Gnangara Road interchange.
The Budget also provides for intersection upgrades in Morely and Craigie, including:
- $4 million to fix the McGilvray Avenue and Morley Drive intersection with improved road layout; and
- a contribution of $3.5 million to build a roundabout at the intersection of Craigie Leisure Centre and Whitfords Avenue and creating a new access road into Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park with delivery by the City of Joondalup.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
"This major $100 million investment will target some of the worst congestions hot spots across our northern suburbs.
"It is just one of many major commitments in the upcoming 2025-26 State Budget that will help improve and transform our roads.
"WA is a rapidly growing State but my government's prudent financial management means we are able to deliver on these commitments.
"We will never stop working to ensure Western Australians have access to the infrastructure we need."
As stated by Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:
"This Budget is about setting our State up for the future by delivering on the commitments we made to the people of Western Australia.
"The Reid Highway and Erindale Road intersection is the worst in the State and causes not only major frustrations for drivers but costs our economy more than $21 million every year in lost productivity.
"We recognise that improving our road network and busting congestion is important to Western Australians and important to the productivity of our economy.
"Right across Perth's north, we're investing in key projects that will improve the road network and make it safer and more efficient for everyone to get around."
