SEVERAL northern suburbs roads could be become State Roads, including Marmion Avenue, Hester Avenue, Neaves Road, Gnangara Road and Alexander Drive.
Main Roads WA has listed the local government-managed roads that might be eligible for reclassification in a preliminary assessment, including Marmion Avenue from Ocean Reef Road to Yanchep.
According to a map tabled at the City of Wanneroo council meeting this month, those roads “may pass selection criteria” to be managed by the State Government in the future.
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READ NOWIt listed Neaves and Gnangara roads connecting to Northlink, but not Great Northern Highway, and suggested either Burns Beach Road or Neerabup Road-Flynn Drive could qualify, but not both.
Similarly, it said either Ocean Reef Road or Whitfords Avenue could be reclassed but not both.
At a Wanneroo council briefing, the City’s assets director Harminder Singh said the increased traffic on Hester Avenue meant it now met the criteria.
Main Roads provided information to the City relating to amended criteria for classification of future State administered roads.
It said the updated method would identify roads that met criteria to become State roads within the next 20 years and a preliminary assessment had been done.
“The assessment shows that a number of roads may meet the criteria to become State roads, subject to further detailed assessment,” it said.
“An expanded State road network will have significant ongoing cost implications to State Government, including periodic maintenance and upgrading costs.
“There will be significant impact with less local roads meaning less maintenance costs to local government but also less funding through the new State Road Funds to Local Government agreement.”
Elected members endorsed comments made to the WA Local Government Association, including that funding to local governments should not change given the City’s road network was still growing.
The report said maintenance costs for the City’s section of Marmion Avenue, from Tamala Park to Yanchep, was estimated to cost $15.7 million in the next 20 years.
For Ocean Reef Road-Gnangara Road, maintenance and upgrades could cost the City $17.7 million over 20 years, if it was not reclassified.
The City had previously applied to Main Roads to reclassify Marmion Avenue and Gnangara Road in 2011, and both requests were denied.
At the time, Main Roads said Marmion Avenue could be reconsidered when Yanchep was functioning as a strategic metropolitan centre and Gnangara Road could be reviewed in five years’ time given planned road improvements and the Ellenbrook town centre development.
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