Bunbury locals and thousands of commuters heading to Western Australia’s South West will get an early Christmas present this year with the WA Government announcing the Wilman Wadandi Highway — previously known as Bunbury Outer Ring Road — will officially open to traffic on Monday, December 16th.
A significant milestone for the $1.46 billion project
“We’re thrilled that the Wilman Wadandi Highway will soon be open to traffic, marking a significant milestone for this massive $1.46 billion project,” Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said.
The new road will slash commute times to and from the South West by around 20 minutes depending on traffic conditions, while also diverting an average of around 15,000 vehicles from local Bunbury roads every day.
“This project has been a game changer in terms of its economic impact for the region, and it will continue to drive incredible outcomes from December when thousands of vehicles will be diverted from local Bunbury roads,” WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said.
A huge win for locals
“It’s a massive win for Bunbury locals, who for many years have had to compete with freight and tourist traffic and will now see thousands of vehicles removed from the local road network.”
Commuters travelling to and from the South West currently have to use a number of local roads in the Bunbury area, which have become significantly constrained in recent years with growing traffic volumes and increased housing development.
The new road will separate freight and tourist traffic from local traffic, improving road safety, reducing congestion, and providing more efficient travel for motorists.
“The Wilman Wadandi Highway is a critical piece of infrastructure that is and will continue to deliver enormous benefits to the local community, including more reliable, efficient and safer travel in the South West,” Bunbury MLA Don Punch said.
“As our region continues to grow, the Wilman Wadandi Highway is essential to support future development, local jobs, and business growth.”
The four-lane highway stretches 27 kilometres, connecting Forrest Highway north of Bunbury to Bussell Highway south of Bunbury. It includes five new bridges and four grade-separated interchanges, while commuters heading to and from the South West will now avoid 13 sets of traffic lights.
The Wilman Wadandi Highway is the biggest road project ever delivered in the South West, becoming a major driver for economic stimulus and job creation in the region.
“As someone who lives and travels in the South West, I know how much of a difference the Wilman Wadandi Highway will make in the region, and with road safety being such a critical priority, creating safer travel in the South West is a great outcome for locals,” Murray-Wellington MLA Robyn Clarke said.
While the main alignment will be open, some minor works will still be underway across a range of areas including on some local roads, landscaping, artwork, and minor tie-in works.
Community sessions to learn more
In the lead up to the opening, Main Roads will host a number of community drop-in sessions across the South West region, where members of the community will be able to go and learn more about the new alignment and the different access routes that will be available upon opening.
A community event will also be hosted the day before opening, which will provide residents in the region an opportunity to learn more about the new road and how it will change the way locals commute.
Residents in the metro area who travel to and from the South West are encouraged to head to the Wilman Wadandi Highway project page on the Main Roads website to acquaint themselves with the new route before it opens.
