Road Photos & Information: Western Australia
Forrest Highway, Kwinana Freeway and Mitchell Freeway
The Spectacles to North Lake
Statistics:
- Length:
- 151 km (The Spectacles to North Lake: 15 km)
- Termini:
- Northern: Romeo Rd (unnumbered), Alkimos
- Southern: Forrest Highway (former Old Coast Road) (NR1), Lake Clifton
- Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:
- The Spectacles, Anketell, Mandogalup, Wandi, Hammond Park, Aubin Grove, Success, Atwell, Cockburn Central, Jandakot, South Lake and Bibra Lake
Route Numbering:
- 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.
History:
- Kwinana Freeway:
- 1975: Additional land reserved for the future extension of the Kwinana Fwy. 2
- 12 December 1991: Kwinana Freeway from Farrington Rd to Forrest Rd (now North Lake Rd) opened. 3
- 11 September 1994: Extension of Kwinana Freeway from Forrest Road (now North Lake Rd) to Thomas Road Kwinana opened by Kim Beazley. 4
- 1999-2001: Construction of the South West Metropolitan Railway down the centre of the freeway alignment - this was done by relocating 16 kilometres of existing northbound carriageway 15 metres westwards. Also part of the works was the construction of a 12 km freeway extension southwards from Thomas Road to Safety Bay Road, including interchanges at Mortimer and Mundijong Road and freeway overpasses at Millar Road. 5
- 12 March 2006: The connection of the Roe Highway Stage 7, from South Street to the Kwinana Freeway, officially opened to traffic. 3
The Spectacles to North Lake
Distance Sign:
RD sign at The Spectacles. January 2020. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
Advance directional sign approaching the Anketell Rd interchange, The Spectacles, January 2020. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Anketell Rd Interchange:
Northbound at the Anketell Road interchange at The Spectacles. January 2020. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from November 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Exit Distance Sign:
Exit RD sign at the Anketell Rd interchange at The Spectacles, January 2020.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Signs:
Advance directional signs for Rowley Rd at Mandogalup. January 2020. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Roley Rd Exit:
Looking northbound through the Roley Road interchange at Mandogalup, January 2020. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Exit Distance Sign:
Looking northbound through the Roley Road interchange at Mandogalup, January 2020. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
Northbound at Hammond Park approaching Russell and Gibb Roads, January 2020. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Russell and Gibbs Roads Exit:
Northbound at the interchange with Russell and Gibbs Roads at Hammond Pk, January 2020. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Exit Distance Sign:
Northbound RD near in the Russell Road and Gibbs Road interchange at Hammond Park, January 2020. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Public Transport Services Sign:
Northbound at Success, December 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
December 2007, looking northbound at Success as you approach the sign for the Armadale Road and Beeliar Drive interchange.
Image © Paul Rands
Armadale Rd / Beeliar Dr Interchange:
SR14 interchange at Success, November 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on the off ramp to Beeliar Dr (SR14) and Armadale Rd (SR14) at Success, December 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Approaching Beeliar Drive and Armadale Road:
Off ramp from Kwinana Fwy (SR2) at Success as it approaches Beeliar Dr (SR14) and Armadale Rd (SR14).
Image © Paul Rands
Trailblazers:
SR14 trailblazers on the off ramp to Beeliar Dr & Armadale Dr at Success.
Image © Paul Rands
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign on Beeliar Dr (SR14) facing the off ramp from Kwinana Fwy (SR2) at Success.
Image © Paul Rands
Armadale Rd / Beeliar Dr Interchange:
SR14 interchange and exit distance sign at Success, December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
Advance directional sign for Berrigan Dr at Cockburn Central. November 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Berrigan Dr Interchange:
Looking north at the Berrigan Drive interchange in Cockburn Central. December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Exit RD Sign:
Exit distance sign at Berrigan Dr interchange Cockburn Central. December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
Advance directional sign for SR3, Roe Hwy at South Lake. December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Roe Hwy Interchange:
Northbound at Bibra Lake at the interchange with State Route 3 - the Roe Hwy. November 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
North Lake to The Spectacles
RD Sign:
Southbound distance sign at Jandakot. April 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
Advance directional sign for Berrigan Dr at Jandakot. April 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Jandakot approaching Berrigan Dr interchange, April 2016.
Image © Paul Rands
Berrigan Drive:
Kwinana Fwy (SR2) at the Berrigan Dr interchange at Jandakot, April 2016.
Image © Paul Rands
Exit Distance Sign:
Southbound through the Berrigan Dr interchange in Jandakot. April 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on the Berrigan Dr overpass at Jandakot for Armadale Rd (SR14) and Beeliar Dr interchange, April 2016.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Signs:
Advance directional signs for Armadale Rd and Beeliar Dr at Jandakot. April 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Intersection Directional Sign:
Sign marking the SR14 exit at Jandakot. April 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on the Armadale Road / Beeliar Drive interchange at Jandakot. April 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Exit Distance Sign:
Sign detailing distances to the next few exits, southbound at Jandakot in the SR14 interchange. December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
Southbound at Atwell approaching Russell and Gibb Roads, December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Russell and Gibbs Roads Exit:
Southbound at the interchange with Russell and Gibbs Roads at Atwell, December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Exit Distance Sign:
Southbound RD near in the Russell Road and Gibbs Road interchange at Atwell, January 2009.
Image © Tim Cole
Advance Directional Signs:
Advance directional signs for Rowley Rd at Aubingrove. December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Roley Rd Exit:
Looking southbound through the Roley Road interchange at Aubingrove, December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Exit Distance Sign:
Southbound RD near in the Roley Road and Gibbs Road interchange at Aubin Grove, December 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Distance Sign:
RD sign located at Wandi, southbound. December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Industrial Area Exit Distance Sign:
Southbound RD at Wandi indicating distances to roads that connect to the Kwinana Industrial Area, April 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Wandi, December 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Anketell Rd Interchange:
Looking southbound at Wandi. April 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Exit Distance Sign:
RD sign for upcoming exits at the Anketell Rd interchange at Wandi. April 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
Advance directional signage approaching Thomas Road (SR21) at Anketell. December 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Thomas Rd Exit:
Thomas Road (SR21) interchange at Anketell. December 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Exit Distance Sign:
Southbound in the Thomas Road (SR21) interchange at Anketell. April 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
2 Australasian Legal Information Institute.
3 WA Government, Main Roads Western Australia.
4 WA Government, State Library of Western Australia.
5 Australian Institute of Project Management.