WA’s ‘biggest road project ever’ opens

WA
Image: WA Government

The biggest road project in Western Australia’s South West is officially complete, with the opening of the new Wilman Wadandi Highway as of Sunday, December 15.

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A ceremony saw the highway opened in what has been labelled as a ‘major win’ for Bunbury locals and those travelling through the state.

Traffic has begun flowing on the 27-kilometre four-lane highway, which connects Forrest Highway north of Bunbury to Bussell Highway south of Bunbury.

The new road is expected to divert around 15,000 vehicles from local Bunbury roads every day, reducing congestion and delivering safer and more efficient journeys for locals, and dropping travel times by 20 minutes.

“The opening of the Wilman Wadandi Highway marks a significant milestone for Western Australia, representing one of the largest investments in regional infrastructure ever undertaken in the State’s south west,” says federal transport minister Catherine King.

“This highway will transform travel for freight, tourists, and locals by reducing congestion, improving safety, and enhancing connectivity across the region.

“Projects like the Wilman Wadandi Highway showcase the federal government’s commitment to building infrastructure that delivers long-term benefits for regional communities and strengthens local economies.”

The WA government says that Wilman Wadandi Highway project has also delivered substantial benefits to the local economy including:

  • The creation of 4500 jobs during the construction phase
  • More than $558 million has been spent with South West businesses
  • $54 million has been spent with Aboriginal businesses

Some minor works will still be underway across a range of areas including on some local roads, landscaping, artwork, and minor tie-in works.

“This is another example of our government delivering infrastructure projects that drive our economy, create jobs for thousands of Western Australians and set our State up for the future,” says state transport minister Rita Saffioti.

“We’ve seen significant growth around Bunbury and the clash of local traffic, with tourist and freight traffic heading to the South West was no longer sustainable.

“The Wilman Wadandi Highway will reduce congestion on local Bunbury roads and make the commute to and from the South West around 20 minutes faster for thousands of motorists every day.

“This is the biggest road project we have delivered in the South West, and will ensure our road network remains safe, efficient and reliable for many decades to come.”

The project was jointly funded, with $1.1 billion committed by the federal government and $356.7 million by the state.

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