The Perth Freight Link Project 1/ Developing Transport Networks; Delivering Safer Roads
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
4145 ~mainro d .!:.iiiIf~ WESTERN. AUSl~ RALlA S Australian Government BUILDING OUR FUTURE The Perth Freight Link Project 1/ Developing Transport Networks; Delivering Safer Roads Contents Foreword: Minister for Transport .............................................................................................................. 2 Executive summary ................................................................................................................................. 4 Perth Freight Link Project Scope ............................................................................................................. 6 Perth Freight Link Route Heavy Vehicle Charge .................................................................................. 8 Road Infrastructure Upgrades ........................................................................................................... 10 Why this project is needed ..................................................................................................................... 13 1. Transport Demand ....................................................................................................................... 13 The benefits of Roe 8 and the Fremantle Tunnel- meeting transport demand and reducing congestion ............................................................................................................. 14 2. Improved road safety as a result of less congestion ..................................................................... 18 The benefits of Roe 8 and the Fremantle Tunnel- relating to road safety meeting ........................ 20 3. Increasing productivity .................................................................................................................22 The benefits of Roe 8 and the Fremantle Tunnel- relating to increased productivity .................... 22 Additional project benefits ......................................................................................................................23 Local area property value increases ..................................................................................................23 Reduced fuel usage and exhaust emissions through less stop-start traffic movements .................... 23 Increased jobs and local economy during construction ..................................................................... 24 Improved fiscal position .....................................................................................................................24 Economic growth ..............................................................................................................................24 Escalated productivity gains .............................................................................................................. 24 Modelling and Regulation .......................................................................................................................25 History and strategic context ..................................................................................................................28 The options explored ............................................................................................................................. 30 World-class design .................................................................................................................................31 Sensitive consideration of the Beeliar Wetlands and better community amenity ................................ 32 Significant Aboriginal sacred and mythological sites in the Beeliar Wetlands acknowledged ............ 34 Project Benefit Cost Ratio ..................................................................................................................... 35 The Perth Freight Link Project 1/ Developing Transport Networks; Delivering Safer Roads Foreword: Minister for Transport Perth is one of Australia's fastest growing cities, with more than 30 per cent population growth in the past decade. Such rapid growth has presented challenges to ensure Perth has the infrastructure to accommodate our burgeoning population. The State Government is rising to this challenge and keeping Western Australia's people and freight moving with significant investment in innovative, 'whole-of-network' transport solutions such as the Perth Freight Link. The Perth Freight Link is the 85 km strategic freight route between Fremantle Port and Muchea and an essential component in the long-planned integrated freight transport system for Perth. Hon Dean Nalder MLA Roe 8 and the Fremantle Tunnel are fully funded road projects on the Minister for Transport Perth Freight Link route, with benefits for the whole community that will: • Create thousands of local jobs; • Increase productivity by reducing freight costs of getting our products to market; • Save lives by making our roads safer and free flowing, and ensure children in our southern suburbs can get to school safely; • Reduce congestion and minimise stop/start traffic, the biggest cause of accidents; • Increase property values in the vicinity by as much as 50 per cent; • Improve access to Fremantle Port; • Enable better and safer cycling, pedestrian and public transport; • Make getting to work easier and quicker for people from the Southern suburbs; • Reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions; • Improve the State's economy through increased productivity, improved property values and additional revenue generated by the Heavy Vehicle Charge applying to freight traffic on the Perth Freight Link route. 2 Main Roads Western Australia The Perth Freight Link Project /I Developing Transport Networks; Delivering Safer Roads It is important to understand that cars will Property owners will benefit from as much as comprise the vast majority of traffic on the new 50 per cent uplift in their property values over a Perth Freight Link route, providing commuters with 10 year period, translating into an average freeway access east and west across our city to property value uplift of more than $350,000 as a places like Perth Airport, Fiona Stanley Hospital, result of the Fremantle Tunnel, relative to the rest vii St John of God Hospital and Murdoch University. of Perth's residential property market • Roe 8 will also link directly into the already extensive north and south freeway network. The freight industry will benefit from significant time savings enabling more reliable scheduling The Government understands how our econorny and lower fuel, maintenance and operating costs. is changing and the importance of jobs. The State It is estimated approximately $8 billion of improved and Federal Governments' commitment to the productivity benefits will result over 30 years. Roe 8 and Fremantle Tunnel projects will create a total of 2,400 directly employed workers over the Roe 8 and the Fremantle Tunnel will be life of the projects. constructed in an environmentally-sensitive manner, under strict environmental conditions Local residents will benefit most. By 2021, Roe 8 and regulations. Main Roads is experienced will reduce congestion and improve road safety by in delivering environmentally-sensitive, world redistributing in excess of 6,900 trucks and 74,100 class projects and is going to great lengths to light vehicles per day from Farrington Road, South develop a design that respects the cultural and Street, Leach Highway and other local roads onto environmental significance of the Beeliar Wetlands. a dedicated free-flowing route. The Fremantle Tunnel will enable the movement of approximately These projects are a great opportunity for 4,700 trucks and 40,300 light vehicles, removing Western Australia. traffic congestion and reducing safety risks on Roe 8 and the Fremantle Tunnel will create local roads. jobs, improve community amenity and support This traffic shift will significantly reduce economic development. congestion across the entire southern road They will save lives by making our roads safer network and mean people will be less likely to and more free flowing and mean less disruption rat-run past homes, local parks and schools. on local roads past homes and schools. Access to the Murdoch Activity Centre will be For these important reasons, The Western vastly improved. With traffic pressure greatly Australian Government is fully committed to reduced on South Street and Leach Highway, delivering Roe 8 and the Fremantle Tunnel. public transport corridors will become more reliable as new bus rapid transit is introduced. Investment in cycling infrastructure will see safer separated cycle and walking paths. Hon Dean Nalder MLA Minister for Transport 3 Main Roads Western Australia The Perth Freight Link Project 11 Developing Transport Networks; Delivering Safer Roads Executive summary The Perth Freight Link Project consists of three sections of road infrastructure upgrades and developments; widening Roe Highway between Orrong Road and Tonkin Highway; building Roe 8 and building the Fremantle Tunnel. It also includes introducing a heavy vehicle charge along the designated 85 km Perth Freight Link Route. Combined, the three road project sections will With the traffic pressure greatly reduced on provide critical improvements to Perth's transport South Street and Leach Highway, public network and the completion of the Perth Freight transport corridors will become more reliable Link project will enable Westem Australia to have as new bus rapid transit is introduced. its first ever revenue generating dedicated freight Investment in cycling infrastructure