Over 1400 pieces of technology make up the new the Smart Freeway Mitchell Southbound in Perth.
That includes road sensors, on-ramp signals, CCTV cameras, incident detection sensors, digital signs and overhead gantries.
This new smart freeway will officially be “switched on” no Sunday, December 22.
Mitchell Freeway Southbound is Perth’s second smart freeway. The first began operating on Kwinana Freeway northbound in August 2020.
The new technology is expected to enhance traffic flow and safety by collecting and analysing large amounts of data to respond to traffic conditions in real time.
This includes using overhead gantries to lower speed limits and provide warnings about incidents ahead, and utilising traffic signals at on-ramps to manage the flow of traffic onto the freeway during busy periods.
The smart freeway systems are part of a broader transformation of Mitchell Freeway, which began in July 2023 with the opening of the Mitchell Freeway extension to Alkimos.
A third lane between Hodges Drive and Hepburn Avenue opened in May this year.
The upgrades and addition of smart freeway systems are expected to save commuters seven minutes during the morning peak-hour commute.
The Smart Freeway Mitchell Southbound will feature:
- new traffic signals on all 16 on-ramps, helping filter traffic onto the freeway and make merging smoother and easier;
- 23 overhead gantries with lane-use and variable-speed signs to let drivers know what speed to travel, what lanes to use and if there’s an incident or accident ahead; and
- Digital Message Signs to inform motorists of traffic conditions in real time for safer and more reliable journeys.
The Smart Freeway Mitchell Southbound, the Hodges to Hepburn widening and shared paths projects are jointly funded by the Australian and Western Australian governments.
The current smart freeways were not implemented correctly. Might as well give up on this one, avoid the expense, waste of effort and avoid making the freeways more unsafe.
Having the speed showing as 100 on the on ramp whole there is standstill traffic is not safer.
Having the speed limits during clear roads go from 100 to 80 to 100 to 60 to 100 on each sign that you pass is not sensible or safe.
Let’s just put it as a poor and broken implementation that has persisted since it was switched on. All the gear but no idea.