A vital, state of the art transport link between Morley and Muchea, providing significant productivity benefits to the economy, industry, motorists and local communities.
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NorthLink WA will cater for the traffic volumes associated with a future Perth population of 3.5 million. The Federal and State Governments invested $1.02 billion, which will meet the following objectives:
Improve freight capacity, efficiency and productivity
Reduce urban congestion now and into the future
Improve road safety in line with the State's 'Towards Zero' strategy
Maximise sustainability through economic, social and environmental responsibility
Improve amenity for the community, tourists and road users
Create value through affordable infrastructure.
Commuters, tourists, freight and other road users travelling between Perth and the state's north used Great Northern Highway, the state's existing major northern route. While traffic volumes on the highway are increasing, there is limited opportunity for further upgrades
This project links to Gateway WA, servicing regional traffic movements to commercial and industrial areas such as Malaga, Kewdale, Perth Airport and the Perth CBD.
NorthLink WA takes the pressure off Great Northern Highway by shifting the majority (around 80 per cent) of heavy vehicles over to the new route.
Completion activity
The project was constructed in three sections:
Southern Section: Guildford Road to Reid Highway
Construction on the Southern Section started in mid-2016 and is complete.
Providing a freeway-standard, free-flowing link from Collier Road through to Reid Highway via Tonkin Highway, the Southern Section improves amenity in local communities by reducing congestion on local roads.
At Collier Road, a Single Point Urban Interchange opened providing much needed relief to motorists. Removing the traffic signals on Tonkin Highway frees up the flow of traffic in this section. It also removes one of the State’s most dangerous intersections.
The first of its kind in WA, the oval shaped roundabout at Morley Drive makes transit through this intersection safer and more efficient.
At Benara Road a flyover has been constructed, taking traffic over Tonkin Highway improving safety and eliminating the need for traffic signals.
Pedestrians and cyclists are enjoying 4 metre wide shared path along Tonkin Highway between Guildford Road and Reid Highway.
Watch this animation to get a better picture of the Southern Section.
Central Section: Reid Highway to Ellenbrook
The Central Section extended Tonkin Highway from Reid Highway to Ellenbrook, improving access to surrounding suburbs and duplicating Reid Highway through to Altone Road.
One of our key benefits is removing four of the State’s most dangerous intersections. Two of these are located in the Central Section - Tonkin Highway and Reid Highway, Beechboro Road North and Gnangara Road.
Construction is complete. Key construction works included:
an interchange at Reid Highway and Tonkin Highway intersection
upgrading Reid Highway between Altone Road and Malaga Drive to dual carriageway
flyovers at Marshall Road and Beechboro Road North
modification to upgrade Altone Road and Reid Highway intersection to allow Reid Highway to be two lanes in each direction
interchanges at Hepburn Avenue, Gnangara Road and at Ellenbrook
4 metre-wide shared path
Northern Section: Ellenbrook to Muchea
The Northern Section involved the construction of a free-flowing dual carriageway between Ellenbrook and Muchea. The result is a section of this national highway with four lanes taking the majority of heavy traffic away from Great Northern Highway.
Key construction works include:
dual carriageway between Maralla Road and Muchea
interchanges at Stock Road, Neaves Road and Brand Highway
deviation at Brand Highway
flyovers at Muchea South Road, railways and Ellenbrook
Construction started in early 2017, and this 22 kilometre section is complete.
Brand Highway, west of the Tonkin Highway / Muchea interchange
Road closed on Thursday 8 April 2021
Follow detours along Old Brand Highway (now Granary Drive)
Click image to enlarge
Benefits
NorthLink WA:
provides a non-stop transport route between Morley and Muchea
increases road capacity to improve journey times and productivity
improves amenity in local communities by reducing congestion on local roads
saves lives by eliminating four of the State’s most dangerous intersections
improves amenity in the Swan Valley for residents and the 600,000 tourists who visit the area each year
connects communities with 65 kilometres of 4 metre-wide shared path alongside Tonkin Highway from Guildford Road to Ellenbrook.
NorthLink WA takes traffic off local roads and onto Tonkin Highway. This means local roads, such as Beechboro Road North, will be used for local traffic and those who live and work locally will experience a safer, more peaceful environment. It also provides an efficient alternative freight route, taking about 80 per cent of trucks away from Great Northern Highway.
The upgrade brings significant savings in travel times, approximately halving the time taken to travel between Ellenbrook and Morley, and takes 10 minutes off the trip between Kewdale and Muchea. Road users will enjoy a non-stop journey, avoiding up to 16 sets of traffic lights and one level crossing between Kewdale and Muchea.
On local journeys, travelling on the upgraded Reid and Tonkin Highways will be significantly faster. The traffic moves freely, and it may take less time to travel further.
Access points will change, but residents will experience the benefits of more efficient travel on the road network every day.
Almost 40 kilometres of new noise and screen walls has been installed to separate residential areas from the highway.
Community
For more information about the community involvement and consultation for this project, please visit the NorthLink WA Community page.
Environment & Sustainability
To view the environmental plans and sustainability procedures for this project, please visit our NorthLink WA Environment page.
Project history
Planning History
Extensive planning has been undertaken on the Perth Darwin National Highway since the 1990s. A range of planning studies investigated the preferred alignment and defined the reservation for the future highway in the following locations:
Reid Highway to Maralla Road, Bullsbrook
Maralla Road Bullsbrook to Brand Highway, Muchea
Brand Highway, Muchea to Bindoon
Muchea to Bindoon
Bindoon deviation.
The planning studies took into account social, economic and environmental factors in consultation with a range of stakeholders, including landowners, Local Government and other stakeholder groups.
Following completion of the planning studies, the project development phase was implemented from June 2014 to early 2016. This work involved:
identifying the long term transport requirements to service a growing Perth population and freight task beyond 2050
securing land to accommodate this future road and transport corridor
obtaining the necessary approvals
reducing impacts associated with the corridor and identifying ways to maximise the project benefits
establishing the scope of works proposed for delivery from 2016 to 2019
The Government of Western Australia acknowledges the traditional custodians throughout Western Australia and their continuing connection to the land, waters and community. We pay our respects to all members of the Aboriginal communities and their cultures; and to Elders both past and present.
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