Gateway WA

At-grade intersection of Tonkin and Leach highways in 2013

Gateway WA, formally the Gateway WA Perth Airport and Freight Access Project, was a $1 billion project that upgraded the road network around Perth Airport.

The project is located on portions of the southern parts of Perth Airport land, and adjacent land allocated for transport. It lies mainly within the local government area of the City of Belmont, with the eastern area in the Shire of Kalamunda.

It is the largest project Main Roads Western Australia has ever undertaken, covering the upgrade of Tonkin, Leach, and Roe Highways, and the construction of four new interchanges. The project is jointly funded by state and federal governments, which are providing $317.5 million and $686.4 million respectively.[1]

As part of the project, Tonkin Highway will be expanded from two to three lanes in both directions, between Great Eastern Highway and Roe Highway, and the existing intersections in this section will be grade separated. A new diamond interchange will be constructed at Boud Avenue, to provide access to the domestic terminal precinct. International terminal access will be provided via a new freeway-to-freeway cloverstack interchange at Leach Highway, and a single-point urban interchange to be constructed at Tonkin Highway's intersection with Horrie Miller Drive and Kewdale Road. The existing diamond interchange with Roe Highway will only be upgraded to a partial freeway-to-freeway interchange, but with plans to further upgrade it to a completely free-flowing interchange in the future.[1][2]

The Gateway WA works are separate to Perth Airport redevelopment works undertaken at the same time. The new airport access road, Airport Drive, features in both projects: the portion in the vicinity of its interchange with Leach and Tonkin Highways was constructed as part of Gateway WA,[3] with the remainder – the majority of the road – part of the airport redevelopment.[4]

External video
Animated flyover video showing the planned upgrades (WMV) from Main Roads Western Australia

In January 2013, works was undertaken to protect or relocate sections of the Canning Trunk water main and the Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline in the vicinity of the project.[5] Construction on the Gateway WA project officially began on 1 February 2013 with a groundbreaking ceremony attended by the state and federal transport ministers, Troy Buswell and Anthony Albanese. The first section to be constructed was an entrance ramp from Abernethy Road to Tonkin Highway southbound.[6] Work on the Leach Highway interchange was expected to commence at the end of 2013, with construction of the other interchanges scheduled to start at the end of 2014.[5]

The whole project was due to be completed by 2017,[5] but then moved to mid-2016 due to the project's construction moving faster than predicted.[7] In September 2015, the completion date was moved to March 2016 following the completion of the Tonkin Highway/Leach Highway, Leach Highway/Abernethy Road and Tonkin Highway/Dunreath Drive Interchanges that same month. The project was also estimated to be 50 million dollars under-budget.[8] The project was announced as completed in April 2016.[9]

Leach Highway interchange under construction in January 2015

Components

Construction of Gateway WA involves several components, with construction divided into three main zones: northern, western, and southern.[3]

Northern zone

The northern zone comprises the upgrade of Tonkin Highway, from Great Eastern Highway to Leach Highway, to a six lane standard. A dumbbell interchange will be constructed at Dunreath Drive. A free-flowing interchange will be constructed to connect Leach Highway, Tonkin Highway, and a new airport access road. The airport access road in the vicinity of this interchange will be constructed as part of Gateway WA, while the majority of the road will be constructed as part of the separate airport redevelopment project.[1][3]

Western zone

The western zone covers upgrades in Kewdale, including an interchange at Leach Highway and Abernethy Road, and upgrading Leach Highway to expressway standard. Various improvement to the local road network will be undertaken, including installing traffic signals at some intersections, and restricting access at others.[1][3]

Southern zone

The southern zone comprises the upgrade of Tonkin Highway, from Leach Highway to Roe Highway, to a six lane standard. A single point urban interchange will be constructed to connect Tonkin Highway, Orrong Road, and Horrie Miller Drive. The existing diamond interchange at Tonkin Highway and Roe Highway will be upgraded with additional ramps, and an entrance ramp will be constructed from Abernethy Road to Tonkin Highway southbound.[1][3]

Other works

Other works undertaken as part of Gateway WA include noise walls around the project where it exists near residential areas, as well as along Roe Highway in High Wycombe, and a grade separated interchange between Roe Highway and Berkshire Road.[1]

Community relations

Measures to keep communities affected by the changes informed include pamphlet and newsletters, as well as publicity surrounding the specific milestones of bridge completion and other significant events.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Gateway WA". Main Roads Western Australia. 27 March 2013. Archived from the original on 10 May 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  2. ↑ "Project Profile". Gateway WA. The Gateway WA Consortium. 2013. Archived from the original on 3 May 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Gateway WA Perth Airport and Freight Access Project map (PDF). Gateway WA. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  4. ↑ Airport Drive. Perth Airport. Retrieved 3 Jan 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 "Gateway WA Strategic Project Program". Gateway WA. 18 February 2013. Archived from the original on 3 May 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  6. ↑ "Perth Gateway project officially underway". ABC News. 1 February 2013. Archived from the original on 28 July 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  7. ↑ Acott, Kent (29 January 2015). "Traffic snarls but Gateway on target". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 8 February 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2015. Additional archives: 8 February 2015.
  8. ↑ "Gateway WA's Grand Gateway now open to Perth". Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  9. ↑ Main Roads Western Australia (13 April 2016). "Gateway WA Project Complete". Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 14 April 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016. Additional archives: 14 April 2016.
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