Smart Freeway - Mitchell Southbound

The next ‘Smart Freeway’ is being rolled out on the Mitchell Freeway southbound from Hester Avenue to Vincent Street, with all 16 entry ramps to be modified with co-ordinated signals.

Just like Kwinana Freeway northbound, smart technology will improve the overall safety of motorists and help alleviate congestion at peak times. This includes 23 new overhead electronic signs (gantries) to display speed changes and let you know when a lane is closed ahead.

We are also upgrading and widening sections on the freeway including:

• An additional southbound lane from Hodges Drive to Hepburn Avenue.
• A new dedicated lane from Hepburn Avenue on-ramp to Warwick Road off-ramp.
• Improving shared paths between Ocean Reef Road and Warwick Train Station.
• Installing of safety barriers, emergency stopping bays, emergency breakdown lanes, and noise walls where required.

WA Smart Freeways vs UK Smart Motorways

 Overview

In 2020, Main Roads delivered one of the world’s most technologically advanced Smart Freeway projects which included an All-Lane Running (ALR) section from Canning Highway to Narrows Bridge on Kwinana Freeway northbound. Ever since, we have become the benchmark for other smart freeways, highways, or motorways to match.

In April 2023, the UK Government announced it will cancel all new All-Lane Running (ALR) Smart Motorway construction projects as they could not meet similar benchmarks as those adopted in Western Australia within the project constraints.

UK Smart Motorways have received a lot of publicity given this ban, but it is important for the public to understand the significant differences between UK Smart Motorways and Smart Freeways in WA, and the safety measures taken by Main Roads in implementation of different types of Smart Freeways in our state.

• Whilst some of the technologies and techniques are similar, there are significant differences between Smart Freeway operations in the UK and WA.
• Planning for WA’s Smart Freeways is about ensuring safety is at the forefront of the design of the freeway, that technology and operations are based on learnings from the UK and other Australian jurisdictions.
• In the UK, the primary concern with Smart Motorways is where the emergency stopping lane (also known as hard shoulder) is replaced to become a running lane as part of the Smart Motorway. These are known as All-Lane Running (ALR) and Dynamic Hard Shoulder (DHS) sections which make up the majority of the UK’s Smart Motorways network.
• In WA, the majority of the Smart Freeway network has, and will continue to have, an emergency stopping lane, in addition to emergency stopping bays. Dynamic Hard Shoulder (DHS) is not adopted in WA and All-Lane Running (ALR) is only used where there is no physical space available for the provision of an emergency stopping lane. This is currently limited to Kwinana Freeway northbound between Canning to Narrows Bridge. There are no ALR sections included within the scope of Smart Freeway Mitchell Southbound project currently in construction.
• Where ALR is implemented in WA, our Smart Freeways include extensive safety measures specifically developed to mitigate concerns raised in the UK, including:
  • Frequent Emergency Stopping Bays (approx. every 600m), this equates to one bay every 21.6 seconds at a speed of 100km/hr, with clear visible advance signage
  • Stopped Vehicle Detection within Emergency Stopping Bays
  • Electronic message boards to advise motorists of vehicles exiting Emergency Stopping Bays in the ALR section, and hence manage safe merging when required, in conjunction with overhead electronic signs,
  • Automatic Incident Detection on the freeway mainline,
  • Overlapping CCTV coverage,
  • Dedicated Incident Response Service 24/7,
  • Operational procedures to deal with emergencies and degraded operations,
  • Queue Detection / Queue Protection to control traffic speed.

• Wednesday 18 September
• 9pm to 4am
• Various testing works
• Detour
• Travel Map

Powis Street westbound lane closure and on-ramp closure to Mitchell Freeway southbound

• Wednesday 18 September
• 7pm to 5am
• Various works
• Speed reduced to 40km/hr in the area
• Detour
• Travel Map

Mitchell Freeway southbound closure Warwick Road to Reid Highway

• Wednesday 18 September - 8pm to 4am
• Thursday 19 September - 8pm to 4am with Warwick on-ramp closed from 7pm
• Tuesday 24 September - Wednesday 25 September - 8pm to 4am
• Various works
• Detour
• Travel Map

Mitchell Freeway southbound closure Neerabup Road to Burns Beach Road

• Thursday 19 September
• 8pm to 4am
• Electrical works
• Detour
• Travel Map

Vincent Street on-ramp closure to Mitchell Freeway southbound

• Thursday 19 September
• 8pm to 5am
• Testing works
• Detour
• Travel Map

Karrinyup Road on-ramp and Cedric Street on-ramp closures to Mitchell Freeway southbound

• Thursday 19 to Saturday 21 September
• 8pm to 5am
• Cedric Street off-ramp detour for Karrinyup on-ramp
• Profiling and asphalting works
• Detour
• Travel Map

Ongoing Works

Temporary closure of the McDonald Street intersection and opening of Cape Street intersection at the Hutton Street on-ramp

• 24/7 intersection closure of McDonald Street access to the Hutton Street on-ramp
• Cape Street intersection fully open for both directions of traffic
• Work will be done under localised traffic management
• Access to businesses on McDonald Street via Albert Street from Cape Street, Hutton Street or Main Street)
• Detour
• Travel Map

Night-time lane closures on the Mitchell Freeway

• Ongoing until October 2024
• Nightworks are required at various locations along the Mitchell Freeway southbound to install Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) assets and test gantry signs.
• Night-time lane closures (left-hand lane) between 10pm – 4am.
• Work will be done under short-term localised traffic management.

• 910 metres of path closed in two sections from late April until late-2024
  • Horseshoe section along the Freeway northbound – 230m; and
  • Straight section along the Freeway southbound – 680m
• Works include resurfacing and tree root ingress treatments
• Detour map
• Travel Map

Mitchell Freeway PSP between Hodges Drive and Ocean Reef Road

• Closed until late-2024
• Detour map
• Travel Map

Mitchell Freeway PSP between Ocean Reef Road and Camarino Drive

• Closed until late-2024
• Detour Map
• Travel Map

Mitchell Freeway PSP between Burns Beach Road and Shenton Avenue

• Closed until late-2024
• Detour Map
• Travel Map

Mitchell Freeway PSP between Bromley Place and Twickenham Drive

• Closed until late-2024
• Detour map
• Travel Map

Mitchell Freeway PSP between St Johns Court and Hepburn Avenue

• Closed until late-2024
• Detour Map
• Travel Map

Mitchell Freeway PSP between Kanangra Crescent and Darnley Avenue

• Closed until late-2024
• Detour map 
• Travel Map

The Hutton Street on-ramp is one of the very few ramps on our freeway network with intersections along its length, which are at Cape, Hector and McDonald streets.

Coordinated ramp signals will be installed to control the flow of traffic on the on-ramp and onto the freeway..The changes being implemented include:

• Improved access for Hutton Street eastbound and southbound traffic enting the on-ramp
• Left turn to McDonald Street will remain open, access to the Hutton Street on-ramp from here will be closed
• Hector Street will become a cul-de-sac with no entry onto the Hutton Street on-ramp
• A dedicated left turn from Cape Street will be through a new third lane along the on-ramp at this point
• Some street parking and road marking modifications along Cape Street
• Drivers accessing the Hutton Street on-ramp from Main Street (westbound) will need to give way to oncoming traffic

See changes to Hutton Street Fact Sheet for more details.

Noise walls 

Noise monitoring was undertaken to determine the locations and heights of noise walls to be constructed as part of this project, in line with State Planning Policy 5.4.

As a result, we will be installing 5.5 km of noise walls between Ocean Reef Road and Warwick Station in the second half of 2023. Residents who will have a wall installed on their rear boundary have been, and will continue to be, consulted with.

Read more in the Noise Mitigation Fact Sheet.

Principal Shared Path (PSP)

Both new and upgraded shared paths will be constructed to create a high standard route between Ocean Reef Road and Warwick Train Station. Forming part of the State Government’s PSP Expansion Program, the path will include local connections to neighbouring residential areas.

A three metre verge will also be created beside the eight kilometre path, where practical. This will be replanted to improve community amenity.

Clearing and landscaping

To enable construction of the new ramp alignments, shared paths and noise walls, some vegetation had to be cleared in the road reserve adjacent to the Mitchell Freeway’s southbound lanes.

Once construction is complete, landscaping will be scheduled during the cooler months to ensure new plants adapt to the natural conditions and thrive. A mix of seeds, collected from the alignment prior to construction, and tubestock will be used in this landscaping program.

We make every effort to minimise the impact of our project works on the surrounding environment.

Flora and fauna surveys were completed in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 to inform project planning and the design has maximised the retention of existing vegetation wherever possible, considering the constrained areas available for construction. We are currently conducting another flora and fauna survey between Reid Highway and Vincent Street, to ensure that all significant trees are protected during our clearing operations.

Most of the vegetation being cleared for this project was planted by Main Roads when the freeway was constructed, with the intention of removing it when freeway expansion was required.

Environmental approvals

An environmental proposal was submitted for a section of the works adjacent to the freeway in November 2020 to Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) for approval. The proposal was considered a controlled action under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) in December 2020 and will be assessed under preliminary documentation by DAWE.

Below is the EPBC 2020/8833 referral documentation.

• EPBC Referral - Part 1 - PDF (18.3 MB)
• EPBC Referral - Part 2 - PDF (18.3 MB)
• EPBC Referral - Part 3 - PDF (18.9 MB)
• EPBC Referral - Part 4 - PDF (18.9 MB)
• EPBC Referral - Part 5 - PDF (18.8 MB)
• EPBC Referral - Part 6 - PDF (11.2 MB)

In accordance with Section 95A(3) of the EPBC Act, the preliminary documentation for the proposed action were made available for public comment from Thursday 8 July to Friday 23 July 2021.

• EPBC Preliminary Documentation - PDF (611 KB)
• EPBC Preliminary Documentation - Part 1 - PDF (18.9 MB)
• EPBC Preliminary Documentation - Part 2 - PDF (18.7 MB)
• EPBC Preliminary Documentation - Part 3 - PDF (18.4 MB)
• EPBC Preliminary Documentation - Part 4 - PDF (18.7 MB)
• EPBC Preliminary Documentation - Part 5 - PDF (18.3 MB)
• EPBC Preliminary Documentation - Part 6 - PDF (18.8 MB)
• EPBC Preliminary Documentation - Part 7 - PDF (18.8 MB)
• EPBC Preliminary Documentation - Part 8 - PDF (18.8 MB)
• EPBC Preliminary Documentation - Part 9 - PDF (16.8 MB)

On 5 October 2021, the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) approved our application for a Native Vegetation Clearing Permit, under Section 51C of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act), to clear native vegetation for this section of the works.

To offset these impacts, in consultation with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) we are revegetating 7.1 hectares of Yellagonga Regional Park, in Woodvale. This work will start in May 2023 and be staged over several years to ensure the new plants can thrive. It will include areas of full revegetation, as well as a parkland buffer adjacent to local residential areas (as shown below).

Main Roads have also acquired almost 32 hectares of native vegetation at Lake Clifton, which includes Tuart Woodlands and Black Cockatoo habitat, to be managed and preserved by DBCA.

 Project updates

• Project Update - Hester Avenue to Warwick Road - July 2024 - PDF (2.02 MB)
• Project Update - Hester Avenue to Warwick Road - December 2023 - PDF (3.72 MB)
• Project Update -Reid Highway to Vincent Street - September 2023 - PDF (407 KB)
• Project Update - Hester Avenue to Warwick Road - July 23 - PDF (2.43 MB)
• Construction update - Hepburn Avenue to Warwick Road - March 23 - PDF (341 KB)
• Construction update - Ocean Reef Road to Whitfords Avenue- March 2023 - PDF (1.87 MB)
• Construction Update - Whitfords to Hepburn March 2023 -  PDF (3.88 MB)
• Project Update - Hester to Warwick - November 2022 - PDF (773 KB)
• Project Update - Hester to Warwick - July 2022 - PDF (307 KB)
• Project Update - Reid to Vincent - June 2022 - PDF (202 KB)
• Project Update - Hester to Warwick - April 2022 - PDF (2.63 MB)
• Project Update - Hester to Warwick - May 2021 - PDF (527 KB)
• Project Update - Hester to Warwick - May 2020 - PDF (1.13 MB)

 Project information

• YouTube Video - Install of First Gantry on Smart Freeway Mitchell Southbound - March 2024
• Mitchell Frreeway Southbound - Hester Avenue to Warwick Road - Noise wall installation works commencement August 2023 - PDF (276 KB)
• Mitchell Freeway Southbound - Hester Avenue to Warwick Road - Noise Vibration Management Plan - PDF (362 KB)
• FAQ - WA Smart Freeways vs UK Smart Freeways - PDF (161 KB)
• Fact Sheet - Hutton Street on-ramp updated designs - PDF (2.77 MB)
• Map 1 - Noise wall and PSP Beach Road to Strathaven Crescent Greenwood - PDF (5.90 MB)
• Map 2 - Noise wall and PSP Darnley Avenue Greenwood to Twickenham Drive Kingsley - PDF (6.09 MB)
• Map 3 - Noise wall and PSP Twickenham Drive Kingsley to Ocean Reef Road Woodvale - PDF (3.09 MB)
• Map 4 - Noise wall and PSP Ocean Reef Road to Hodges Drive - PDF (2.28 MB)
• Concept Map - PSP alignment and noise walls - PDF (9.52 MB)
• Fact Sheet - Hester to Warwick - Pavement construction and vibration management - PDF (1.8 MB)
• Fact Sheet - Hester to Warwick - Shared path, noise walls and landscaping - PDF (164 KB)
• Facebook: Vincent Street off-ramp visualisation video
• Fact Sheet - Hester to Warwick - Environmental - PDF (762 KB)
• Fact Sheet - Hester to Warwick - Construction Impact - PDF (160 KB)
• Fact Sheet - Hester to Warwick - Shared Path - PDF (462 KB)
• Fact Sheet - Hester to Warwick - Noise Mitigation - PDF (315 KB)

 Media Statements

• Roll out of Smart Freeway technology continues on the Mitchell Southbound - 29 December 2021
• Job-creating transformation of Mitchell Freeway now underway - 16 May 2021
• Major transformation of Mitchell Freeway southbound a step closer - 16 April 2021
• Transformation to Mitchell Freeway southbound continues - 28 January 2021
• Major infrastructure projects developing Stirling into a hub of activity - 11 January 2021
• Mitchell Freeway gets smart with $100 million for time saving technology - 8 October 2020
• Quicker safer journeys for Mitchell Freeway southbound users - 23 June 2020
• Expressions of Interest sought for Mitchell Freeway southbound upgrade - 9 March 2020
• I​​nfrastructure to boost jobs and bust congestion - 20 November 2019

 Funding

The $209.6 million Smart Freeway Mitchell Southbound is funded by the Australian and Western Australian Governments. The additional lane from Hodges Drive to Hepburn Avenue and shared paths project is jointly funded by the Australian  ($107 million) and Western Australian ($107 million) Governments.