The only access to the carpark is via Solomon Road at an intersection just 40 meters away from busy Armadale Road.
Cockburn’s engineering and works director Michael Littleton said the City had proposed installing traffic lights at the intersection of Solomon Road and Armadale Road to help cars and trucks enter and exit the area more smoothly.
He said the City and Main Roads had engaged a traffic consultant in February 2012 to undertake a traffic study of the Jandakot area.
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READ NOW‘The traffic consultant demonstrated that traffic signals could operate acceptably at the Armadale Road/Solomon Road intersection,’ he said.
But a spokesperson for Main Roads disagreed.
‘Independent modelling suggested that the installation of another set of traffic signals on this section of the already congested Armadale Road would have an adverse impact on traffic congestion at this location and the nearby interchange with the Kwinana Freeway,’ he said.
What they both agreed on was that part of the solution would be the construction of a bridge to extend North Lake Road across the Kwinana Freeway.
The bridge would connect North Lake Road to Solomon Road, easing congestion in and out of the car park and reducing the need for some motorists to use the busy Beeliar Drive/Armadale Road Freeway interchange.
‘Modelling clearly shows that a new bridge at North Lake Road will address traffic congestion at Cockburn Central,’ Mr Littleton said.
Main Roads agreed a bridge, estimated to cost $60 million, was part of the solution.
Whether the bridge will actually be built remains unknown, considering no funding was provided for the project in recent State and Federal budgets.
The City has called on residents to lobby support by writing to their local members.