2012 ANNUAL REPORT

The $9.8 million Albany Highway Upgrade from Ashburton/John Streets to Leach Highway project was completed in February 2012 bringing improved safety for pedestrians and all road users in and around the suburb of Bentley. The completion of works was delayed due to bad weather.

The route is a critical feeder road from the eastern suburbs into the city and had a significant crash record that needed to be addressed. In addition to creating improved efficiency along the route the project delivered excellent safety benefits and increased accessibility for the local community, in particular to and from local shopping centres. The project resulted in Albany Highway being widened from the intersection of Ashburton and John Streets through to Alexandra Place. Works included upgraded traffic signals, providing dedicated right turn lanes and upgrading all shared paths and intersections including providing a new central median island along the length of the project. In addition, provision was made for bus bays to be upgraded to meet current design standards greatly improving levels of safety for all road users as well as undergrounding of all power and improved street lighting.

Extensive community consultation was critical in this project and involved residents, local businesses, the City of Canning and road users who were invited to comment and provide input to the concept design. An outcome of the community engagement was a decision to install new traffic signals at the intersection of Albany Highway/Bedford/Ewing Streets, instead of building a median strip at Bedford/Ewing Streets. These new traffic signals now provide dedicated right turn lanes for much safer access to and from the highway on each approach. This solution also provides improved access to businesses north of Ewing Street whilst greatly enhancing safety for pedestrians crossing the highway.

Traffic Management was an important element of the project as the work site carries around 35,000 vehicles per day. The safety of works crews, the community and road users was a major priority. Careful consideration was also given to ensure high levels of access whilst the works were underway due to the extent of commercial businesses within the work site.