Road Photos & Information: Western Australia
Forrest Highway, Kwinana Freeway and Mitchell Freeway
Lake Clifton to West Pinjarra
Statistics:
- Length:
- 151 km (Lake Clifton to West Pinjarra: 30 km)
- Termini:
- Northern: Romeo Rd (unnumbered), Alkimos
- Southern: Forrest Highway (former Old Coast Road) (NR1), Lake Clifton
- Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:
- Lake Clifton and West Coolup
Route Numbering:
- Current: 2
- Road Authority Internal Classification: 1
- H057 (Lake Clifton to South Yunderup)
General Information:
The Forrest Highway, Kwinana Freeway and Mitchell Freeway, are without a doubt one of the most important road systems in the Perth metropolitan area, and the southwestern part of the state.
Running in a north-south direction, the freeways link the north and southern suburbs of Perth together plus the southern city of Mandurah and the state's southwest, but also act as a coastal link between the northern and southern parts of the state. Built in stages from the late 1950s the route has seen enormous changes / extensions and is continuously undergoing expansion to this day.
Unique to the freeway sections is the passenger railway line down the median of the road corridor. This runs from The Spectacles to Perth, then from West Perth to Butler. The Mitchell Freeway at Nowergup features a railway stabling yard and depot in the median.
When first planned, the Mitchell Fwy was called the Yanchep Highway, as it is envisaged that eventually the route will connect to the town.
The section of State Route 2 south of Baldivis involved the design and construction of 70.5 kilometres of dual carriageway. The route was constructed as a single project and extended the dual carriageway from Safety Bay Road in Baldivis, around the eastern side of the Peel Inlet and Harvey Estuary to join the existing dual carriageway on Old Coast Road at Lake Clifton.
The route was constructed to freeway standard from Safety Bay Road to South Yunderup, a distance of 32 kilometres. The remainder of the route, 38 kilometres, was initially be built as a rural highway, with the ability to upgrade it in the future as traffic demands increase. The route links Perth and the South West, bypassing the heavily populated areas in Mandurah and the Dawesville Peninsula, and avoiding inland communities on the existing highway.
As part of the work, five interchanges were constructed at Safety Bay Road, Karnup Road, Paganoni Road, Lakes Road and Pinjarra Road. Nine intersections were constructed and have the capacity to be upgraded to interchanges in the future. They are located at Beacham Road, Greenlands Road, Paull Road, Mills Road, Herron Point Road, Old Bunbury Road, Dorsett Road, Old Coast Road and Peppermint Grove Road. In total, 19 bridges were built to grade separate the interchanges and extend the new Perth-Bunbury Highway over the Serpentine River, Nambeelup Brook, Murray River/Pinjarra Road, South Yunderup Road, Murray River floodplain, Harvey River and a number of Water Corporation drains. At the time, it was the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken by Main Roads Western Australia.
History:
- Forrest Highway:
- December 2006: Works commence on the Forrest Highway. 2
- 20 September 2009: Opening of Forrest Highway from Lake Clifton to South Yunderup. 3
Click or tap here for construction photos between Lake Clifton and West Pinjarra
Lake Clifton to West Pinjarra
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign facing Peppermint Grove Road at Lake Clifton, August 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Dual Route Distance Sign:
RD sign for both NR1 and SR2 at Lake Clifton. August 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Variable Message Sign:
VMS gantry on Forrest Hwy (NR1) just before the junction with Old Coast Rd (NR1) and Forrest Hwy (SR2). September 2009.
Image © Tim Cole
Services Sign:
Services sign at Lake Clifton approaching Old Coast Road (NR1), November 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location from August 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching the junction of Forrest Hwy (SR2) and Old Coast Rd (NR1) at Lake Clifton, August 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign at the junction with Old Coast Rd (NR1) at Lake Clifton. November 2012. SR2 starts immediately north of this sign.
Image © Paul Rands
Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Lake Clifton, December 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Approaching Dorsett Road & Old Bunbury Road West:
Forrest Hwy (SR2) approaching the intersection with Dorsett Rd and Old Bunbury Rd West at Lake Clifton. December 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Dorsett Road Intersection:
Corner of Forrest Hwy and Dorsett Rd at Lake Clifton. December 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Dorsett Road Intersection:
Corner of Forrest Hwy and Dorsett Rd at Lake Clifton. December 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Tim Cole from September 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Approaching Old Bunbury Road East:
Forrest Hwy approaching Old Bunbury Rd East at Lake Clifton. December 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Harvey River:
Forrest Hwy (SR2) at Lake Clifton as it crosses Harvey River via Codford Bridge, December 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Old Bunbury Road East:
Forrest Hwy at the junction with Old Bunbury Rd East at Lake Clifton, December 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Tim Cole from September 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Approaching Herron Point Road:
Forrest Hwy at West Coolup approaching the intersection with Herron Point Rd. December 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Herron Point Road East:
Corner of Forrest Hwy (SR2) and Herron Point Rd East at West Coolup. December 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Herron Point Road West:
Corner of Forrest Hwy (SR2) and Herron Point Rd West at West Coolup, December 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Tim Cole from September 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Fouracre Bridge:
Forrest Hwy (SR2) at Waroona as it crosses Mayfields Drain / Kaangalaap Bilya via Fouracre Bridge, November 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
West Pinjarra to Lake Clifton
Approaching Herron Point Road:
Forrest Hwy at West Coolup approaching the intersection with Herron Point Rd, November 2011. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Tim Cole from September 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Herron Point Road West:
Corner of Forrest Hwy (SR2) and Herron Point Rd West at West Coolup, November 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Tim Cole from September 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Herron Point Road East:
Corner of Forrest Hwy (SR2) and Herron Point Rd East at West Coolup, November 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Tim Cole from September 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Trailblazer:
State Route 2 trailblazer located at West Coolup, April 2016.
Image © Paul Rands
Fouracre Bridge:
Forrest Hwy (SR2) as it crosses Mayfields Drain / Kaangalaap Bilya at Lake Clifton, April 2016.
Image © Paul Rands
Approaching Old Bunbury Road East:
Forrest Hwy approaching Old Bunbury Rd East at Lake Clifton, November 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Tim Cole from September 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Trailblazer:
State Route 2 trailblazer located at Lake Clifton after the Old Bunbury Road East junction. September 2009.
Image © Tim Cole
Old Bunbury Road:
Corner of Forrest Hwy (SR2) and Old Bunbury Rd at Lake Clifton, November 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Dorsett Rd and the access road to the western part of Old Bunbury Rd in Lake Clifton, April 2016.
Image © Paul Rands
Approaching Dorsett Road & Lake Clifton Road:
Approaching Dorsett Rd and the western part of Old Bunbury Rd (now Lake Clifton Rd) in Lake Clifton, November 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Dorsett Road & Lake Clifton Road Intersection:
Corner of Forrest Hwy, Lake Clifton Rd (formerly Old Bunbury Rd) and Dorsett Rd at Lake Clifton. April 2016.
Image © Paul Rands
Dorsett Road & Lake Clifton Road Intersection:
Corner of Forrest Hwy, Lake Clifton Rd (formerly Old Bunbury Rd) and Dorsett Rd at Lake Clifton, November 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Tim Cole from September 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Lake Clifton Road:
Lake Clifton Rd (formerly Old Bunbury Road West) junction at Lake Clifton, November 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Harvey River:
Forrest Hwy (SR2) at Lake Clifton as it crosses Harvey River via Codford Bridge, April 2016.
Image © Paul Rands
Lake Clifton Area:
Southbound on Forrest Hwy in the Lake Clifton area. September 2009.
Image © Tim Cole
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Lake Clifton approaching Old Coast Road (NR1) and Forrest Highway (NR1). April 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from November 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
End State Route 2:
End SR2 shield at Lake Clifton approaching the junction with Forrest Hwy (NR1) and Old Coast Rd (NR1). November 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Old Coast Road Intersection:
Corner of Forrest Hwy and Old Coast Rd at Lake Clifton. November 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
2 Southern Gateway Alliance Fact Sheet - Project Facts 01.
3 Southern Gateway Alliance Media Release - Kwinana Freeway Extension and Forrest Highway Opening Celebration.