What's happening
Contract Award for Tonkin Highway Corridor Upgrade
The contract to deliver the project has now been awarded to NRW to deliver the next stage of the Tonkin Highway Corridor between Roe Highway and south of Welshpool Road. The contractor will now undertake detailed design and planning activities before construction begins. Construction of Hale Road and Welshpool Road East Interchanges and the widening of Tonkin Highway is anticipated to commence late 2026 and is expected to take approximately two years to complete.
Development work is also ongoing for a new interchange at Kelvin Road, which will be delivered as a future stage of the corridor upgrade.
Western Power Works
Western Power is undertaking works along Hale Road to relocate overhead power infrastructure in preparation for the corridor upgrade. These works involve installing new transmission poles and relocating existing powerlines. Some vegetation clearing is required to maintain safe clearances around power infrastructure.
Temporary traffic management, including lane closures or reduced speed limits, may be in place while these works are undertaken.
What happens next?
- Following contract award, the project will move into detailed design and mobilisation. During this phase the contractor will undertake further engineering design
- surveys and site investigations
- community and stakeholder engagement
- planning of construction staging and traffic management
- coordination with utility providers.
Early works such as service relocations and site preparation may occur before major construction activities begin. Further information will be provided before these works commence.
The Tonkin Highway Corridor project will upgrade Tonkin Highway between Roe Highway and south of Welshpool Road to improve safety, reduce congestion and provide more reliable travel times along this key transport corridor.
The corridor upgrade includes improvements at three intersections along Tonkin Highway: Hale Road, Welshpool Road East and Kelvin Road.
Design and works currently being progressed in stages and include:
- widening Tonkin Highway from four lanes to six lanes between Roe Highway and south of Welshpool Road
- construction of a full interchange at Welshpool Road East and Hale Road
- installation of safety barriers, lighting and drainage infrastructure
- construction of a new shared path along the eastern side of Tonkin Highway
- landscaping and noise mitigation treatments where required.
Development work is also ongoing for a new interchange at Kelvin Road, which will be delivered as a future stage of the corridor upgrade
Removing the existing signalised intersections and separating highway traffic from local road movements will improve safety and allow traffic on Tonkin Highway to travel without stopping for cross traffic.
Upgrading Tonkin Highway to a grade separated freeway standard will change how some road users access the highway and surrounding local roads. These changes are necessary to improve safety and reflect the new traffic conditions once signalised intersections are removed.
Hale Road interchange
Tonkin Highway will travel over Hale Road, removing the existing signalised intersection.
Access between Hale Road and Tonkin Highway northbound
The design includes on and off ramps providing direct access between Hale Road and Tonkin Highway towards Perth and the airport. This reflects existing travel patterns, with the majority of traffic using Hale Road connecting to Tonkin Highway northbound.
Access to Tonkin Highway southbound
Detailed investigations were undertaken into providing additional ramps to and from the south. After considering traffic demand, environmental constraints, land impacts and major underground services, south facing ramps were not included in this stage of the project.
Drivers wishing to travel southbound on Tonkin Highway will be able to use the new full interchange at Welshpool Road East.
Key considerations
Providing additional ramps at Hale Road would have required:
- Acquisition of multiple residential properties.
- Relocation of major infrastructure including the Perth Bunbury gas pipeline and Water Corporation assets.
- Increased impacts to Hartfield Park and surrounding conservation areas.
- Impacts to the Veteran Car Club of WA.
- Overlap with the proposed Welshpool Road interchange ramps.
These impacts were considered too significant and disproportionate to the level of traffic demand for those movements.
Signal operation on Hale Road
Two sets of traffic signals will operate on Hale Road under Tonkin Highway. These signals will default to green for Hale Road traffic and will only change when required for turning movements or pedestrian crossings. This arrangement will improve traffic flow compared to the current intersection.
Welshpool Road East interchange
Tonkin Highway will travel over Welshpool Road East. Full access will be provided in both directions, allowing vehicles to enter and exit Tonkin Highway northbound and southbound.
Local road modifications
Changes to traffic conditions on Hale Road and Welshpool Road East require some adjustments to the local road network to maintain safety.
Hardey East Road
The existing connection between Hardey East Road and Hale Road will be removed due to the location of the new northbound entry ramp. Alternative access will be provided via a new connection between Pulchella Street and Slate Street.
Bruce Road and Brook Road
Right turn movements from Welshpool Road East into Bruce Road will be removed to improve safety. A new U turn facility will be provided approximately 150 metres west of the existing intersection.
Further information on local access changes is available in the Access and Connectivity Fact Sheet.
Emergency, trucks and cyclist / pedestrian access
Emergency access
Main Roads has consulted with WA Police and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services during project planning. Emergency vehicles have priority on the road network and will continue to determine the most appropriate route depending on the circumstances at the time. The project will continue to liaise with Emergency services as the project continues.
Cyclists and pedestrians
A new principal shared path will be constructed along the eastern side of Tonkin Highway between Hale Road and Kelvin Road. The shared path will connect with the local cycling network in consultation with local government.
Why is the project needed?
Tonkin Highway is a major north–south corridor used by commuters, freight operators and local traffic. The existing signalised intersections at Hale Road, Welshpool Road East and Kelvin Road create delays and safety risks where highway traffic interacts with local road movements.
Between January 2020 and December 2024, the three intersections recorded 368 crashes, including 8 crashes that resulted in hospitalisation. Upgrading these intersections will improve safety and reduce congestion by removing signalised intersections and separating highway traffic from local road movements.
What will the project mean for my daily journey?
Removing the signalised intersections will allow traffic on Tonkin Highway to travel without stopping for cross traffic, improving travel time reliability across the surrounding road network. Traffic modelling indicates:
- time savings of up to four minutes travelling to Tonkin Highway from nearby residential areas
- time savings of up to three minutes travelling from Tonkin Highway to residential areas
- average travel time savings of up to five minutes across the surrounding road network.
Cyclists and pedestrians will also benefit from a new shared path along Tonkin Highway.
Why are south-facing ramps not included at Hale Road?
South-facing ramps were investigated during project planning. Detailed investigations identified significant impacts associated with these ramps including property acquisition, impacts to Hartfield Park and surrounding conservation areas, impacts to Welshpool Reserve and relocation of major infrastructure services.
The approved design includes north-facing ramps at Hale Road while avoiding these broader impacts. Drivers wishing to travel southbound will be able to access Tonkin Highway via the Welshpool Road East interchange.
Will the road move closer to houses?
In some areas the upgraded highway will move closer to nearby properties to accommodate the new ramps and road alignment. Where required, noise mitigation measures will be considered in accordance with State Planning Policy 5.4.
Will vegetation be cleared?
Some vegetation clearing is required to construct the interchanges, widen the highway and relocate utilities. All clearing will occur within the approved project footprint and in accordance with environmental approval conditions.
Will noise walls be built?
Noise modelling will be undertaken during detailed design in accordance with State Planning Policy 5.4. Where required under the policy, noise mitigation measures such as noise walls will be incorporated into the project.
Will the project increase traffic on local roads?
Upgrading Tonkin Highway to a freeway standard removes delays at the intersections and improves traffic flow along the corridor. Traffic modelling indicates that most drivers will remain on Tonkin Highway once these delays are removed, reducing the need to use local roads to avoid congestion. Main Roads will continue working with the City of Kalamunda to monitor local road conditions as the project progresses.
Will trucks continue using local streets such as Crystal Brook Road?
Heavy vehicles currently use some local roads to avoid delays at the existing signalised intersections. Upgrading the Welshpool Road East and Kelvin Road intersections will improve capacity and traffic flow, which is expected to reduce the need for trucks to seek alternative routes through local streets.
Is the Kelvin Road interchange still planned?
Yes. The Kelvin Road interchange remains part of the broader Tonkin Highway Corridor planning. Environmental approvals for this stage are progressing, and it will be delivered as a future stage subject to approvals and funding.
When will construction begin?
Following contract award the project will progress through detailed design and planning activities. Construction of the Hale Road and Welshpool Road East stage is anticipated to begin in late-2026 and is expected to take approximately two years to complete.
Main Roads has undertaken community engagement throughout the planning process, including an online survey conducted between August and October 2021. Feedback received helped inform aspects of the project design, including access arrangements at Hale Road.
Main Roads will continue to provide updates as the project progresses through detailed design and construction planning. Information about upcoming works and traffic changes will be provided before construction activities begin.
Environmental assessment
The project has been subject to detailed environmental investigations and approvals processes at both State and Commonwealth Government levels.
Environmental surveys have been undertaken between 2015 and 2024 to inform project design and mitigation measures. These surveys considered vegetation, threatened flora and fauna, wetlands, groundwater and surface water systems.
The Hale Road and Welshpool Road East stage has received State and Federal environmental approval, subject to conditions. Further environmental assessment and approvals are required before the proposed Kelvin Road interchange can proceed.
Environmental management
The project includes measures to avoid, minimise and manage environmental impacts, including:
- Refinement of the project footprint to reduce clearing where possible.
- Protection of threatened ecological communities and conservation areas.
- Management of impacts to registered Aboriginal heritage sites.
- Ongoing surface water and groundwater monitoring.
- Landscaping and revegetation following construction.
Main Roads will continue to engage with local environmental groups and relevant government agencies throughout project delivery.
Vegetation clearing
Some vegetation clearing is required to deliver the interchanges, highway widening and associated utility relocations. All clearing is undertaken in accordance with environmental approvals and conditions, with monitoring and management measures in place.
Environmental documentation
Environmental referral documents, approval conditions and supporting technical reports are available via the Construction Project Compliance Reports page.
Project information
- Early Works Update - Western Power Asset Relocations - December 2025 - PDF (396 KB)
- Access and Connectivity Fact Sheet - June 2025 - PDF (391 KB)
- Project Update - November 2024 - PDF (430 KB)
- Early works notification - September 2022 - PDF (224 KB)
- Project Update - September 2022 - PDF (289 KB)
- Online Survey Results - 2021 - PDF ( 1.19 MB)
- Project Update - August 2021 - PDF (1.3 MB)
- Project Update - May 2020 - PDF (987 KB)
Videos
- YouTube: Animation - August 2021
Media Statements
- Joint media statement - Contract awarded for next stage of Tonkin Highway upgrades - 21 May 2026
- Joint media statement - Expressions of Interest called for Tonkin Highway interchanges - 14 October 2024
- Improved Tonkin Highway-Hale Road designs unveiled following community feedback - 27 August 2021
- Roads budget delivers congestion busting solution and WA jobs - 9 May 2019
Funding
safety
journeys
connectivity