Length:

151 km (Baldivis to The Spectacles: 11 km)

Termini:

Northern: Romeo Rd (unnumbered), Alkimos

Southern: Forrest Highway (former Old Coast Road) (NR1), Lake Clifton

Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:

Baldivis, Wellard, Bertam and Casuarina

Current: 2

Road Authority Internal Classification: ¹

H015 (South Yunderup to Perth)

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.

Kwinana Freeway:

1975: Additional land reserved for the future extension of the Kwinana Fwy. ²

25 February 2001: Extension of the Kwinana Freeway to Safety Bay Road. ³

20 September 2009: Completion of the 70.5 km Perth to Bunbury Highway project (Kwinana Fwy / Forrest Hwy) - bypassing the heavily populated areas in Mandurah and the Dawesville Peninsula, and avoiding the inland communities on South Western Highway. The route is freeway standard from Safety Bay Road to Pinjarra Road with the remainder of the route built as a divided rural highway. In the future as traffic demands increase, the highway will be upgraded to a freeway standard for its entire length. ⁴

This page concentrates on construction photos between Baldivis and The Spectacles

Safety Bay Road & Foley Road:

Eastbound

Safety Bay Road Construction Zone:

Eastbound at Baldivis approaching Kwinana Freeway (SR2). June 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Safety Bay Road Construction Zone:

Eastbound at Baldivis approaching Kwinana Freeway (SR2). June 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Baldivis on Safety Bay Rd (SR18) approaching Kwinana Fwy (SR2). June 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Safety Bay Road / Kwinana Freeway Interchange:

Eastbound at Baldivis. June 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Westbound

Foley Road Construction Zone:

Westbound at Baldivis approaching Kwinana Freeway (SR2). April 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Kwinana Freeway:

Southbound

Roadworks Sign:

Sign at Baldivis near the former intersection with Folly Road indicating the extension of the Kwinana Freeway. December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

End of Freeway 500 m:

Sign indicating at Baldivis the end of the freeway is 500 m ahead. Previously this location was signposted as End Of Freeway 1 km. The freeway was shortened slightly to allow works for connecting the existing freeway to the new Perth-Bunbury Highway project, January 2009.

Image © Tim Cole

Rumble Strip Warning Sign:

Sign at Baldivis indicating audible lines placed across the road ahead, designed to warn of a hazard, January 2009.

Image © Tim Cole

Temporary End of Freeway:

Sign indicating the temporary end of the Kwinana Fwy at Baldivis, January 2009.

Image © Tim Cole

Traffic Switch:

Closed southbound carriageway of the Kwinana Fwy at Baldivis, and the temporary traffic switch to the side track around the construction site, January 2009.

Image © Tim Cole

New Safety Bay Road Interchange:

Looking southbound at Baldivis at the Safety Bay Road (SR18) interchange, January 2009.

Image © Tim Cole

Side Track:

Approaching Safety Bay Road on the side track around the works zone at Baldivis, January 2009.

Image © Tim Cole

¹ WA Government, Main Roads Western Australia, Road Information Mapping System.
² Australasian Legal Information Institute.
³ WA Government, DPC Media Statements, Perth's Narrows Bridge celebrates 50 years, 13 November 2009.
⁴ WA Government, Main Roads Western Australia.