Location Margaret River | Length 7 km (4.3 mi) | |
Type Highway (Under construction) North end Bussell Highway (State Route 10) South end Bussell Highway (State Route 10) | ||
The Margaret River Perimeter Road is a proposed highway bypass of Margaret River, Western Australia. The seven-kilometre-long (4.3 mi) road will deviate Bussell Highway traffic, including heavy vehicles, to the east of the town, and connect to a new airport access road. It is planned to eventually be a dual carriageway, but will be initially constructed as a single carriageway, in two stages. Construction of stage one, from south of Margaret River to Rosa Brook Road, began in December 2014. Construction of stage two – the remaining northern section – is expected to commence between January and April 2015. An extension of John Archibald Drive and the redevelopment of Bussell Highway in the town were included in the business case for constructing stage two.
Map of Margaret River Perimeter Road, Margaret River WA 6285, Australia
Stage two of the project received $60 million of funding from The Nationals Western Australia to enable a complete bypass to be constructed, rather than a "road to nowhere". The state government provided the $13 million to construct stage one. The total cost is projected to be $71.1 million.
The project underwent an Environmental Impact Assessment and Aboriginal Heritage survey. Action will be taken to compensate for the loss of native vegetation, and a zoologist was employed to identify and relocate native fauna at the start of stage one construction.
The perimeter road will reduce congestion, improve safety for the many pedestrians, including tourists, that use the road, and provide heavy vehicles with a lesser gradient to ascend or descend.