Safety Upgrades Improve South Western Highway

The South Western Highway is a key route connecting Perth with south-west communities including Pinjarra, Harvey, Donnybrook and Walpole.

Accessed by an average 4,000 vehicles per day, the section of highway between Waroona and Brunswick was narrow, and its poor geometry posed safety issues for the type and volume of traffic. Poor configuration contributed to road hazards and significant crash frequency.

In response to these safety concerns, we undertook significant improvement works on two sections of the highway – between Wokalup and Brunswick, and from Waroona to Yarloop.

Twenty-six kilometres of sealed shoulders are now widened to the edge of the road formation, helping reduce run-off-road crashes. Safety barriers are installed to help prevent run-off-road crashes at large culverts or high embankments.

Installing audible edge lines and a 600-mm wide centre-line treatment now increases vehicle separation and alerts drivers who cross the centre- line, reducing potential for head-on collisions.

Improvements to the roadside batters help mitigate the risk of serious crashes, whilst the removal
of vegetation in discrete locations has improved sightlines to oncoming and through traffic.

The objectives for these improvements are reducing the number of killed and seriously injured road users on this section of highway along with improving the travel journey for all road users.

In addition to these upgrades, a budget allocation allows for planning and development work for future improvements at selected highway locations.