Opinion: Sink entire section of Denny Ave rail crossing

I WAS delighted to read in the Comment News (Tuesday, May 23) that the safety and chronic congestion at the Denny Avenue rail crossing in Kelmscott is to be fixed by a grade separation.

While Denny Avenue has deserved top spot in the RAC’s Risky Roads Survey, there are several crossings a short distance away in Gosnells that suffer the same delays, with trains arriving and departing the Gosnells station every eight to 15 minutes on weekdays.

This happens at Fremantle Road, Stalker Road/Main Street and Dorothy Street, as well as on Albany Highway at the old Stokely crossing in Maddington.

Would it not make sense to sink this entire section of rail line?

Gosnells underground station could have escalators to the parking area and to the commercial strip along Albany Highway.

The vacated rail reserve could be used for additional parking for travel or local businesses or used for commercial or residential development on the other side of Lissiman Street.

And, while they are on the job, why not sink Albany Highway for through traffic, retaining the existing road for local traffic?

This could be a great way to integrate the city, so long divided by the highway, while also drastically reducing wasted time and fuel and rail crossing mishaps.

Sinking this stretch of railway would make it possible to reconnect Verna Street in Gosnells and Lake Road in Camillo with Albany Highway, with further significant savings in time and fuel.

JEFF WILSON,

Gosnells.