2012 ANNUAL REPORT

The aim of the South Metro Connect or the Roe Highway Extension project was to work collaboratively with community, stakeholders, specialist consultants and regulatory authorities to develop a concept design. This design should exceed expectations and ultimately receive statutory approval for the extension of Roe Highway from its current location at Kwinana Freeway to Stock Road.

Historically, this section of the proposed Roe Highway Extension has been controversial because it will pass through an area of high environmental and recreational value. The area also holds great significance for Aboriginal people and the project is likely to impact on some registered heritage sites. There are also some development constraints.

Because of these issues, the communities in the immediate vicinity and those that are impacted by the traffic congestion on existing roads have held polarised views for nearly three decades. Conservation groups have been well organised and effective in attracting attention to the area and successive State governments have been influenced by the community with regard to this section of the extension. This is the environment in which community engagement for this project began.

However, in the face of that challenge the South Metro Connect team, being Main Roads and our partners AECOM, won the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) Core Values Award for 2011 'Project of the Year' for the WA region and was Runner Up for the Australasian 'Project of the Year'. The Core Values Awards recognise and encourage projects that are at the forefront of public participation.

The community engagement undertaken was inclusive and transparent and included using a Multi Criteria Analysis tool and participatory engagement methods. The outcome was to create a planning concept that would gain environmental approvals as well as address the issues that have divided the community.

Throughout the process the Project Team achieved participation satisfaction levels that were increased from 72% for the first collaborative workshop through to 91% when the last workshop was held. What this project did was to offer a first in providing the community with decision making opportunities during the project development stage with the design team which ultimately influenced design outcomes for a Main Roads Project. For more information on this project visit the project website at www.southmetroconnect.com.au