The first stage of the Bussell Highway duplication project in south west of Western Australia is now complete, with the new five-kilometre section of highway duplicating the road from just south of Spurr Street to Hutton Road.
The Bussell Highway Duplication project will construct a dual carriageway between Capel and Busselton and be delivered in two stages.
The first and now complete stage of the project included the construction of a five kilometre long extension of the existing dual carriageway to the south of Hutton Road, including the Tuart Drive intersection.
The second stage will involve the construction of a 12 km long extension of the existing dual carriageway from Hutton Road to south of Sabina River.
The duplication will increase capacity and safety, as well as provide for safer overtaking opportunities between Bunbury and Busselton for more than 15,000 vehicles which use that stretch of highway each day.
The project has supported up to 570 direct and indirect jobs during construction, which aimed to remove the southbound merging queue that would regularly affect local traffic in Capel.
Federal Member for Forrest Nola Marino said that the Bussell Highway was notorious for traffic congestion and extended travel times, particularly on Friday afternoons and long weekends.
“This project will help keep more local road users safe and really benefit our local communities by helping to reduce the lengthy delays they often experience during holiday periods,” Marino said.
WA Member for Collie-Preston Jodie Hanns said that, when complete, the new road would provide benefits for local residents and tourists alike.
“The south-west continues to be a popular holiday destination and completion of this project will make a big difference to those heading away,” Hanns said. “Over the peak holiday periods the number of vehicles surges to more than 23,000 vehicles a day, so this will really change the drive down south.”
Early work has commenced on Stage two of the project, which involves construction of the remaining 12-kilometre section between Hutton Road and Busselton, along with the duplication of three bridges over the Abba, Sabina and Ludlow rivers.
For more information on the works, click here.
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