With the Albany Ring Road on track to open by mid-2024, details have been announced about a new $37 million flyover that will begin construction later in the year.
The Albany Ring Road is the largest infrastructure project ever delivered in the Great Southern region.
It will divert heavy vehicles around Albany to help improve freight efficiency and reduce congestion on existing local routes including Albany Highway.
Transport Minister Rita Saffioti says the Albany Ring Road will provide a safe, efficient, free-flowing route for heavy vehicles accessing the port.
“Importantly, the project will also remove heavy vehicles from the existing network, improving safety on Chester Pass Road, Albany Highway and South Coast Highway, and enhancing amenity for local residents and visitors alike,” she explained.
New bridges are now in place at the South Coast Highway and Frenchman Bay Road interchanges.
Works are currently focused on construction of the road surface between Lancaster Road and Princess Royal Drive, along with installation of safety barriers, signs and road markings.
Over the coming months, completed sections of the Albany Ring Ring Road are expected to open incrementally and be connected to the existing road network. This will begin with the section between the Albany Highway interchange and the South Coast Highway bridge in March.
Upon completion, the project will establish an 11-kilometre free-flowing connection between Albany Highway and Princess Royal Drive, including three grade-separated interchanges at Albany Highway, South Coast Highway and Frenchman Bay Road.
Construction of a new $37 million flyover at the intersection of Menang Drive and Chester Pass Road is set to begin in late 2024.
The new flyover will maximise the efficiency of the Albany Ring Road route by providing free flowing access from Chester Pass Road all the way to the port.
The existing intersection has a combined daily traffic volume exceeding 6000 vehicles, of which 54 per cent are heavy vehicles.
The new flyover will make the westbound turning movement from Chester Pass Road to the Albany Ring Road (Menang Drive) free-flowing, removing the need for trucks to queue in the turning lane before making a right turn across oncoming northbound traffic.
“The Albany Ring Road is a strategically important project, underpinning the long-term economic strength of the Port of Albany and supporting local jobs,” said Premier Roger Cook.
“The new interchange at Menang Drive and Chester Pass Road will allow the full benefits of the Ring Road project to be realised, improving freight efficiency and the competitiveness of our exports from the Great Southern.”
The new flyover interchange is set to open in 2025.
The Albany Ring Road project is jointly funded by the Australian and Western Australian governments.