Opening date for MASSIVE Mitchell Freeway extension revealed

An opening date has been set for one of Perth’s biggest infrastructure projects in the northern corridor after a cost blow-out and delays.

Early works for the $215 million Mitchell Freeway extension project from Clarkson to Alkimos began in 2019 after 50 per cent of the project cost was secured from the Commonwealth.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said ongoing supply chain disruptions were to be blamed for the project cost ballooning out by $17m to $232m.

“So we reset the construction timetable early on and because of it in 2021 it commenced,” Ms Saffioti said.

“But it’s because of all the challenges through a very heated construction and market supply chain interruptions — and of course some of the aftermath of COVID.”

The freeway has now been extended north from Hester Avenue in Clarkson through to Romeo Road in Alkimos, creating a new high-standard north-to-south transport link in Perth’s northwest.

Federal Pearce MP Tracey Roberts said the much-needed road linkage would make a big difference to the growing local catchment by cutting travel time and connecting people to jobs and opportunities across the suburbs.

“This is what community power has done — creating this beautiful piece of infrastructure will make such a difference to the fastest and largest known areas in WA, or one of the fastest in Australia,” she said.

“Big smiles here and a huge thank you to every concerned community member that put their support behind this.”

In addition to the extension, there will be new freeway access points at Lukin Drive, Butler Boulevard, and Romeo Road.

Romeo Road was built in collaboration with Metronet, as well as the new east-west road link from Wanneroo Road to Marmion Avenue which is a new bridge over rail on Romeo Road as part of the Yanchep rail extension works.

It will be the first of a suite of road, rail, and cycling improvements to be completed to support the expansion and growth of Perth’s rapidly growing northern corridor.

This includes the Metronet Yanchep rail extension and the installation of Smart Freeway technology on the Mitchell freeway southbound between Hester Avenue to Vincent Street.

“There’s a lot happening in this northern corridor. As our communities continue to grow north to Yanchep through to Alkimos, there’s a lot of new houses being built through this entire corridor,” Ms Saffioti said.

“This infrastructure is keeping pace with new housing. In the past, I think there’s been a real delay between rail infrastructure and road infrastructure to the suburbs.”