Length:

151 km (Osborne Park to Heathridge: 17 km)

Termini:

Northern: Romeo Rd (unnumbered), Alkimos

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

Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:

Innaloo, Gwelup, Balcatta, Carine, Hamersley, Duncraig, Warwick, Greenwood, Padbury, Kingsley, Craigie, Woodvale, Heathridge, Edgewater and Joondalup

Current: 2

Road Authority Internal Classification: ¹

H016 (Perth to Alkimos)

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.

Mitchell Freeway:

12 December 1983: Mitchell Freeway extension (3.5 km) from Roberts Street to Karrinyup Road opened. (Stage 4). ²

21 September 1984: Mitchell Freeway extension (1.8 km) from Karrinyup Road to Erindale Road opened. ²

6 August 1986: Mitchell Freeway extension to Hepburn Avenue opened. ²

1987: the freeway extended to Ocean Reef Road Craigie.

2 July 1988: Mitchell Freeway to Ocean Reef Road opened. ²

1992: the median strip of widened for the Joondalup railway line. Also, Mitchell Fwy widening to McDonald St completed. ²

1993: Mitchell Fwy widening to Erindale Rd completed, providing three lanes in each direction. ²

2001: freeway extension to Hodges Dr at Joondalup opened.

Osborne Park to Heathridge

Advance Directional Sign:

Approaching Karrinyup Rd outside Stirling railway station. December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Karrinyup Rd Interchange:

Looking northbound at Innaloo. December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Distance Sign:

Northbound through the Karrinyup Road interchange, Innaloo. December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

Approaching Erindale Rd Gwelup. December 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Erindale Rd Exit:

Looking up the ramp for Erindale Rd at Gwelup, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

Approaching Reid Hwy (SR3) at Gwelup. December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Reid Hwy Interchange:

Northbound through the Reid Hwy interchange at Carine, December 2012.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign for Warwick Rd, at the Reid Hwy Interchange in Carine. December 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007, featuring a freeway green sign.

Image © Paul Rands

Beach Road Overpass:

Northbound at Carine as you pass under Beach Road, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Warwick Road Exit:

Northbound approaching Warwick Road in Duncraig, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Distance Sign:

Northbound at Duncraig, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

Northbound approaching Hepburn Av Duncraig, December 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007, featuring a freeway green sign.

Image © Paul Rands

Hepburn Av Exit:

Northbound at Duncriag as you pass through the interchange with Hepburn Av, December 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007, featuring a freeway green sign.

Image © Paul Rands

Hepburn Rd Interchange:

Northbound through the interchange with Hepburn Road in Duncraig, outside Greenwood Station, December 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007, featuring a freeway green sign.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

Approaching Whitfords Av in Padbury. December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Whitfords Av Interchange:

Looking northbound at Padbury. December 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007, featuring a freeway green sign.

Image © Paul Rands

Distance Sign:

Northbound through the Whitfords Av interchange, with Whitfords railway station on the right. December 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

Approaching Ocean Reef Rd in Craigie. December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Freeway Green Exit Sign:

Older coloured freeway sign at the Ocean Reef Road interchange at Craigie, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Ocean Reef Rd Interchange:

Northbound through the Ocean Reef Rd interchange in Craigie. December 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 at Craigie, approaching Hodges Dr, April 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Craigie, approaching Hodges Dr, December 2012.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Craigie, approaching Hodges Dr, April 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

Hodges Drive Interchange:

Northbound at the Hodges Drive interchange at Heathridge, November 2008. This interchange was the former northern terminus of the freeway until the 2nd of November 2008.

Image © Paul Rands

Hodges Drive Interchange:

Distance sign showing the next 2 interchanges on the freeway. Heathridge, November 2008.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on the off ramp to Hodges Dr at Heathridge, December 2012.

Image © Paul Rands

Intersection Directional Sign:

ID sign on the off ramp to Hodges Dr at Heathridge, December 2012.

Image © Paul Rands

Intersection Directional Sign:

ID sign on the off ramp to Hodges Dr at Heathridge, December 2012.

Image © Paul Rands

Intersection Directional Sign:

ID sign on the Hodges Dr interchange at Heathridge, December 2012.

Image © Paul Rands

Heathridge to Osborne Park

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign for Hodges Drive, next to the footbridge linking Joondalup and the suburb of Connolly. November 2008.

Image © Paul Rands

Hodges Drive Interchange:

Southbound at the Hodges Dr interchange at Joondalup. November 2008.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

Westbound AD sign on Hodges Dr at Joondalup, December 2012.

Image © Paul Rands

Intersection Directional Sign:

Eastbound ID sign on the interchange with Hodges Dr at Joondalup, December 2012.

Image © Paul Rands

Distance Sign:

RD sign at the Hodges Dr interchange at Joondalup showing distances to the next 3 interchanges. November 2008.

Image © Paul Rands

Hodges Drive Interchange:

The southbound on ramp from the Hodges Rd interchange at Joondalup. December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

Approaching Ocean Reef Rd in Edgewater. December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Ocean Reef Rd Interchange:

Ocean Reef Road (SR84) interchange at Edgewater, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Exit Distance Sign:

Southbound carriageway of the Mitchell Freeway as it passes through the Ocean Reef Rd Interchange at Edgewater. Sign is used to indicate distances to the next 3 exits, further past the interchange is a distance sign with town focal points, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Distance Sign:

Southbound RD sign after the Ocean Reef Rd interchange at Woodvale, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

Southbound signage approaching SR83 - Whitfords Av at Woodvale. April 2016. Click or tap here a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007, featuring a freeway green sign.

Image © Paul Rands

Freeway Green Exit Sign:

Older coloured freeway sign at the Whitfords Av interchange at Woodvale, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Exit Distance Sign:

Southbound through the Whitfords Av interchange at Woodvale, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Freeway Green Exit Sign:

Southbound approaching the Hepburn Av interchange at Kingsley, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Hepburn Av Interchange:

Southbound carriageway of the Mitchell Highway as it passes through the interchange with Hepburn Avenue at Kingsley, with exit distance sign, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

Southbound AD sign for Warwick Rd (SR81) interchange at Greenwood, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Warwick Road Exit:

Southbound approaching Warwick Road in Greenwood, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Warwick Road Interchange:

Looking southbound at Greenwood. December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD signs approaching Reid Hwy (SR3) in Warwick, southbound. December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Lane Allocation Sign:

Approaching Reid Highway outside Warwick railway station. December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Approaching Reid Hwy Interchange:

Reid Hwy (SR3) exit at Hamersley, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Exit Distance Sign:

Southbound carriageway of the Mitchell Freeway as it passes through the Reid Hwy Interchange at Balcatta. Sign is used to indicate distances to the next 3 exits, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

Southbound AD signs at Balcatta for Erindale Road, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Distance Sign:

Southbound RD sign at Stirling, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Exit Sign:

Karrinyup Rd (SR76) interchange at Stirling, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Cedric Street Exit:

Cedric St (SR64) interchange at Stirling, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Cedric Street Interchange:

Cedric St (SR64) interchange at Stirling, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Cedric Street Interchange:

Cedric St (SR64) interchange at Stirling, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Cedric Street Interchange:

Cedric St (SR64) interchange at Stirling, December 2007. The strange split here is because of the on ramp to the freeway from Karrinyup Road.

Image © Paul Rands