CONSTRUCTION of the Stephenson Avenue extension is set to start next year following a formal agreement between City of Stirling and the State Government.
Premier Mark McGowan met with Stirling mayor Mark Irwin today, with both parties signing a Statement of Intent to progress the first phase of the project.
The project will extend Stephenson Avenue from Scarborough Beach Road to Cedric Street in Innaloo to connect to the Mitchell Freeway.
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READ NOWConstruction of stage one, extending Stephenson to Howe Street, will start early in 2020 and will comprise creation of traffic lights at the intersection with Scarborough Beach Road, local road connections at Oswald Street and Howe, pedestrian and cycling facilities and streetscaping.
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Premier Mark McGowan said detailed design of the first phase had finished and believed the project would “unlock private investment and jobs in a key CBD hub outside of Perth”.
Planning Minister Rita Saffioti said following the design process, work had started on geotechnical investigations and environmental approvals.
The extension project is part of the City’s Stirling City Centre project and mayor Mark Irwin said in collaboration with the State Government, local community and private sector, it had “developed a consolidated vision” for the centre.
“The Stephenson Avenue extension forms part of our broader plan to transform the Stirling City Centre – an area bounded by Karrinyup Road along Cedric Street and Ellen Stirling Boulevard to Scarborough Beach Road – into a strategic metropolitan centre,” he said.
Meanwhile, planning has begun on an upgrade to the notorious intersection at Leach Highway and Welshpool Road.
The intersection is ranked second in the state for crashes, with 219 recorded between 2014 and 2018, and is Perth’s seventh most congested.
The $93 million upgrade will include a new Leach Highway bridge travelling over Welshpool Road, as well as the proposed duplication of the Leach Highway bridge over the Armadale rail line.
Premier Mark McGowan and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti visited the site today with Belmont MLA Cassie Rowe.
“This is a notorious intersection and local road users will be well aware of the congestion during peak times,” Mr McGowan said.
More than 50,000 vehicles travel through the intersection each weekday.
Ms Rowe said Leach Highway was an important east-west freight link connecting Fremantle with the Kewdale/Welshpool industrial area.
“Building a grade separated interchange will reduce congestion, and deliver more consistent and reduced journey times,” she said.
The project is jointly funded by the State and Federal governments, and is expected to create up to 400 jobs.