Northlink Project - WA (Tonkin Hwy Extension to Great Northern Hwy / Brand Hwy)

[Squeeowl]

Some interesting information has come out of this project in the past couple weeks, including the proposed concept map of the entire project, plus bits and pieces proposed that are not yet funded.

Some very interesting things on here that were not quite as clear before:

• Tonkin Hwy to Reid Hwy will be Freeway Standard by Early 2017, with Grade Separation of Morley Dr / Collier Rd / Flyover of Benara Rd to start Early 2016
• Perth's first full (if it beats the future 4 way Cloverleaf at Roe / Kwinana, also currently in planning) Freeway-Freeway Interchange at Reid/Roe
• Effective Bypass and closure of Beechboro Rd North (SR53), past Hepburn Ave which it will now merge into as part of an interchange (they are presently linked by an access road and Roundabout).
• The appearance on the concept map of an (obviously) unfunded, Whiteman - Yanchep Hwy proposed route which has never before been referenced in any other MRWA documentation. This isn't even on the Perth Metropolitan Region Scheme.
• Partial Cloverleaf at Tonkin Hwy/Gnangara Rd - For perspective, the intersection this is currently replacing (SR84 Gnangara Rd/SR53 Beechboro Rd North) was until last year an uncontrolled, 2 lane single carriageway, stop-sign controlled intersection. Traffic Lights were installed in 2014.
• Current funding appears to support going down to a single carriageway after the Ellenbrook exit - which doesn't make very much sense considering that the road that this is meant to be bypassing (Great Northern Hwy) is currently at capacity at a Single Carriageway quality. 
• Grade Separation for Neaves Rd, despite Northlink only been planned as single carriageway here.
• Proposed, but unfunded realignment and partial freeway interchange with Brand Hwy where Northlink meets back up with Gt Northern Hwy. Again, this project won't be as effective without them actually completing this at the same time as the rest of the project. 

All in all, the project looks extremely ambitious with an anticipated completion date of End of 2019. With how fast Gateway WA has been completed, it wouldn't surprise me if they can get this done on time, especially with the potential for this route alongside the Freightlink project to have tolls for heavy vehicles. 

[Paul Rands]

Very exciting to see all these upgrades.

As for time frame, remember it took MRWA 18 months from start to finish, to build 75 km of dual carriageway and 13 bridges for Perth-Bunbury Hwy corridor.

 

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[Squeeowl]

MRWA have recently uploaded a video flythrough of the ultimate concept map for the project - I love the cloverleafs planned for the Reid Hwy and Gnangara Rd intersections... not so much of a fan of the use of roundabout interchanges for every other grade separated interchange though.

[Peter Freeman]

Yes, the hybrid there of Maltese-Cross stack and cloverleaf is very nice, but as you say the two-bridge roundabouts are ill-advised. They will be good for quite a while, especially since many of the left turns are bypassed by 'jet-lanes', but traffic will eventually catch up with them. As you will know, the UK began a love-affair with roundabouts in the late 1960's, which went so well for a long time that a roundabout seemed the answer to everything. But in the last ten years most of those on major roads, and especially two-bridge elevated roundabouts at motorway intersections, have been treated to vast widenings of approaches and circulatory carriageway, AND signalisation. That's certainly increased the capacity but has made them very difficult to negotiate safely. Even worse is that a two-bridge roundabout, once built, usually doesn't lend itself well to remodelling to anything else.  .

[Squeeowl]

Almost two years on from when I made this post, Stage 1 (Guildford Rd - Benara Rd) is well under way and has a pretty good chance of finishing earlier then expected. The best part is, the previously unfunded dual carriageway/grade seperation north of Ellenbrook and the realignment and interchange between Brand Hwy & Great Northern Hwy was able to be included within the projects budget, so we'll be seeing Dual Carriageway and full freeway grade construction right up to that interchange (very impressive considering north of Ellenbrook is still very sparsely populated and most likely will be for some tiem yet). This will likely see traffic volumes within many areas of the existing road network decline (especially Roe Hwy between GNH & Tonkin Hwy, which still has several at grade intersections), as most freight heading north will most likely be able to take Tonkin Hwy the whole way up to GNH or Brand Hwy. Construction of Stage 2 and 3 is set to start within the next few months.

It'll be interesting to see if NH95 is realigned to go up Tonkin Hwy as a result by the time the project has finished. 

[DrazPhlaz]

I want to see NR1 get realigned to a freeway. It's current route is a mess, taking all the back streets makes it look like a second rate route.

[Sam Laybutt]

Yes, it would be far more logical to have NR1 routed via Tonkin Hwy (including Northlink), Roe Hwy and Kwinana Fwy/Forrest Hwy - duplexing with SR2, SR3 and SR4 along the way. 

The Northlink project is referred to as an extension of Tonkin Highway in a few Main Roads documents so I suppose that locks in SR4 as the route number. It is a shame, as it complicates route numbering for the future network. For example:

• SR1 - Not available due to NR1
  
• SR2 - Kwinana/Mitchell Freeways - no change
  
• SR3 - Roe/Reid - no change
  
• SR4 - Tonkin Hwy - extended north to Muchea and south to Pinjarra (possibly via Greenlands Rd to connect to Forrest Hwy)
  
• SR5 - Stirling Hwy - no change
  
• SR6 - Canning Hwy - no change
  
• SR7 - Leach Hwy - no change
  
• SR8 - Farmer Fwy/Orrong/Welshpool East - no change
  
• SR9 - Available but earmarked for Stock Road route if NR1 was ever moved
  
• SRs 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 are also all taken by the regional radial routes. 
  

So when the East Wanneroo Bypass (freeway branching from Northlink south of Gnangara Rd, running north west along the eastern edge of Wanneroo to approximately Alkimos/Eglinton area connecting to SR60 and future SR2 extension) is constructed - what number does it get? There are no single-digit SRs available. 

In my opinion, it makes more sense for this route to be SR4, as it would keep SR4 as this second north-south route through the metro area, rather than a spur off towards the Brand/GNH. 

However, this would require Main Roads to actually think about this now, and invest in changes to signs well outside the Northlink project. My Stage 1 proposal:

• SR4 - Extended north along Tonkin Hwy to the future interchange with the EWB where it ends (for now)
  
• NR1 - Re-routed onto Northlink and Tonkin Hwy as far as GEH (1st stage) - second stage would relocate it onto Tonkin/Roe/Kwinana/Forrest Hwy route
  
• NH95 - Re-routed onto Northlink and Tonkin Hwy as far as GEH, where it ends (much like it ends at the Roe/GEH interchange now). The purpose of this is to make sure NH94 and NH95 connect
  
• Old NR1/NH95 from Muchea to Reid Hwy - new State Route 54. Current NR1 through Midland decommissioned properly. NR1 from Guildford to the GEH Bypass intersection signed as SR52. 
  

If this doesn't happen then the East Wanneroo Bypass would end up with a non-descript State Route number like 73 which doesn't fit within the route hierarchy.

Stage 2 proposal:

• NR1 moved onto Roe/Tonkin/Kwinana/Forrest Hwy as duplex with the existing routes. SR2 could terminate at Pinjarra Road rather than Lake Clifton
• NR1 along GEH potentially replaced by an extension of SR6 from Causeway to Roe Hwy (via GEH Bypass)
• NR1 along Kwinana/Leach duplexes decommissioned
• NR1 along Stock Road, Ennis Ave, Mandurah etc to Lake Clifton - replaced by SR9. This route would also be extended north along Stock Road to Canning Hwy (now) and then via the future tunnel, then Stephenson Fwy to connect to SR2 at Stirling

These proposals are based on the road network shown in Perth @ 3.5 Million Transport Plan and IMO make the most sense long term. The duplexes of urban single-digit State Routes and NR/NH routes is a WA peculiarity and something I have maintained in the future - essentially double-layered navigation. 

A couple of other logical route numbering changes would include:

• SR8 extended via Canning Rd to Brookton Hwy (replacing SR41) as this is the major route to/from Brookton Hwy. Shire of Kalamunda and City of Armadale are in the process of trying to get Main Roads to take this over as a state road.
• SR41 extended north west from Roe Hwy to GEH at South Guildford. 

Thoughts?

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From: aussie-...@googlegroups.com <aussie-...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of DrazPhlaz <harrison...@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, 8 March 2017 4:56 AM
To: Aussie Highways
Subject: [Aussie Highways] Re: Northlink Project - WA (Tonkin Hwy Extension to Great Northern Hwy / Brand Hwy)

 

[DrazPhlaz]

Western Australia's system is a joke anyway. They use state routes instead of metroads and as I said earlier the national route 1 is a second rate route, and the two national highways 94/95 randomly terminate. They need an alphanumeric overhaul quicksmart

[James Clarke]

I would wonder why you would want to extend SR6 up to Roe Hwy unless you were proposing to terminate NH94 in Midvale. I don't see the point of a lengthy duplex along GEH and GEH Bypass.

I totally agree with your proposal for a new SR54 on GNH from Muchea and Morrison Rd and the extension of SR52.

The signage in the area does need to be fixed. On some signs NR1 goes through Midland, on others it triplexes with SR3 and NH95 or SR3 and NH94 on the Roe Hwy

[Sam Laybutt]

In conventional route numbering schemes the aim is to avoid duplexes but in WA there was a deliberate decision to retain the NR1/NH94/NH95 connections into the City and these are basically overlaid on top of existing routes - e.g. NR1/SR6 duplex from Vic Park to Como and the NR1/NH95 duplex. 

My proposal basically maintains this - i.e. you can follow NH94 all the way into town and you can follow NH95 all the way to NH94 as currently exists, but then the State Route 6 provides for local navigation, basically extending the concept of the existing NR1/SR6 duplex. It would also give SR6 a bit more prominence commensurate with its role as a single-digit State Route.

I'm not wedded to the idea though - NH94 could just as easily run solo along GEH/GEHB from Roe to Causeway. 

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From: aussie-...@googlegroups.com <aussie-...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of James Clarke <jeoc...@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, 8 March 2017 11:44 AM
To: Aussie Highways
Subject: Re: [Aussie Highways] Re: Northlink Project - associated changes to route numbering

 

[Sam Laybutt]

Yes, the route of NR1 hasn't been updated since 1982, apart from the minor change in Midland, despite the significant changes to the road network and it no longer makes sense for through traffic.

NH95 terminates at NH94 and NH94 terminates on the edge of the CBD which makes reasonable sense - much like NR31/NR32 used to terminate on Broadway in Sydney. 

---

From: aussie-...@googlegroups.com <aussie-...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of DrazPhlaz <harrison...@gmail.com>

Sent: Wednesday, 8 March 2017 11:31 AM
To: Aussie Highways

Subject: Re: [Aussie Highways] Re: Northlink Project - associated changes to route numbering

[Squeeowl]

If we do end up with Alphas the only ones that would actually go Alpha would most likely be NR1, NH94/95 SR2-8, 10/20/30/40/50/60, 71 and the 3-digit regional routes. Almost all of the rest of the routes in the network function  like the metro routes of Melbourne (and are entirely within the metro area) with few exceptions.

Nonetheless, I feel if we were going to see alphas any time soon we would have started to see them by now as some recent changes that MRWA has been behind (e.g. change of merging rules/markings) are by all means lead by practices used in other states. I've also seen more new trailblazers in the past 6 months then I have at any time in the last 5 years or so. 

[li...@paulrands.com]

Awesome news, I can't wait to see the pix start coming through. Not sure if I will get to WA this year. Probably next year.

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Subject:

[Aussie Highways] Re: Northlink Project - WA (Tonkin Hwy Extension to Great Northern Hwy / Brand Hwy)

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[li...@paulrands.com]

I agree. It should replace SR2.

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[Aussie Highways] Re: Northlink Project - WA (Tonkin Hwy Extension to Great Northern Hwy / Brand Hwy)

I want to see NR1 get realigned to a freeway. It's current route is a mess, taking all the back streets makes it look like a second rate route.

[Alex Csar]

With the end of the National Highway program, the isolation of WA's road network from the rest of Australia and the move by other states to renumber internal routes without regard to the old National Route structure, there could be a case for a more comprehensive renumbering of WA roads - either as part of a conversion to an alphanumeric scheme or as a continuation of the old "shielded" scheme.

To outline the changes, I'll use the four tiers that Luke Wright originally used on his Roadside.AU site, and which Sam Laybutt made use of in his Ozroads article:

• Major Perth Arterials: Would generally remain the same - the changes would be to routing of individual routes. My personal preference would be for Route 1 to run up the Forrest/Kwinana/Mitchell complex up to the Reid Highway, then cut across to the Tonkin Highway/Northlink, with Route 2 cut back to cover only the Mitchell Freeway north of the Reid Highway. Route 6 would be extended up the Great Eastern Highway in place of the existing National Routes.
  
• Regional Arterials: Here is where I would make the most noticeable changes. Whilst I would maintain the same premise (major radial routes ending in a zero), I would rejig the scheme to also take in the existing National Highways. I would also make it that the routes start within the Metropolitan region. The scheme I envisage would be:
• Route 10: Melville - Mandurah highway (Stock/Rockingham/Ennis/Mandurah/Old Coast complex, replacing NR1 south of Perth),
• Route 20: South Western Highway (as is current),
• Route 30: Albany Highway (as is current),
• Route 40: Brookton Highway and onwards to Ravensthorpe (as is current),
• Route 50: The Lakes Turnoff to Merredin via York and Bruce Rock (new, extended back to Midland via the GEH if the Perth - Adelaide Highway is built),
• Route 60: Great Eastern Highway and onwards to Norseman (replacing NH94),
• Route 70: Midland to Merredin via Toodyay, Goomalling and Nungarin (replacing and extending SR50),
• Route 80: Great Northern Highway (replacing NH95), and
• Route 90: Wanneroo Road and Indian Coast Drive (replacing SR60).
• Metropolitan State Routes: Somewhat dependent whether shields are retained or alphas are adopted. In the former case I would see little if any change. In the latter case I wouldn't mind seeing all District Distributor (A) roads getting numbered - most are already (as State Routes), while a scheme could be devised for the remainder (maybe a four-digit number with the first two based on the nearest two-digit route?).
• Rural State Routes: Firstly, the South-West Loop (currently SR10) would become Route 100 in any case to allow the current number to be used as above. As for the rest the solution would be dependent on whether shields or alphas are used. Under a shield-based scheme I would simply have the remaining Primary Distributor roads (which are the state-controlled roads) given a three-digit number between 100 and 199. Under an alphanumeric scheme I would have Primary Distributor roads given three-digit numbers ending in a zero, while Regional Distributor roads (which are the major council-controlled roads) given the remaining three-digit numbers. A zonal scheme could be adopted based on the major radial routes (for example, everything between Route 20 and Route 30 would be numbered in the 200 series).

OK, I've probably overthought this one.

Cheers,

Alex.

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[Sam Laybutt]

I haven't put too much thought into a comprehensive re-numbering as there really isn't any appetite for it - there is barely any appetite to maintain the existing system or bring the signage on the current system up to anything approaching a reasonable standard. So most of my thoughts on this have been around a pragmatic approach to improve the system within these constraints, leveraging major projects where possible. 

If alphas were to come along, the existing numbers could be used as a base. For navigation purposes I don't think there is any significant benefits to complicated numbering hierarchies (as fun as they are for us) - the simple concepts like single-digit numbers for important metro routes and multiples of ten for important regional/radial routes are all that is needed imo.

Specifically regarding the SW Loop - I don't think it functions particularly well as a loop at present and I think it would be better to adopt a grid pattern like this:

SR10 - Bunbury - Busselton Bypass - Augusta

SR101 - Vasse Hwy from Pemberton to SWH

SR103 - Karridale, Nannup, Bridgetown, Boyup Brook, Arthur River

SR104 - Extended from Nannup south to NR1 via Northcliffe

Another road of interest is Mowen Rd/Rosa Brook Rd which connects Margaret River to Nannup and has recently been sealed. Will this be more important that the Karridale-Nannup route going forward?

There are also a few other routes in this southern area I would add:

• SR105 - Complete the signing of this route from Albany to Karlgarin via Lake Grace (one problem is that the road through Pingaring is a local road, not a State Road - the State Route goes to Kulin/Corrigin but the main tourist traffic demand is to Hyden/Wave Rock)
  
• SR108 - Williams to Narrogin, Kulin, Kondinin with potential extensions to Collie (State Road) or Merredin via Narembeen (Local Roads)
  
• SR109 - Pinjarra, Marradong, Williams (State Road)
  
• SR106 - Donnybrook, Boyup Brook, Kojonup, Katanning, Pingrup (State Road)
• SR110 - Mayanup, Frankland [River] to Kendenup (Local Road but a growing tourist route and also the quickest route from Bunbury to Albany). I think long term this would be more important than SR106 and could usurp it between Mayanup and Donnybrook
• SR??? - Broomehill, Gnowangerup, Jerramungup 

Again, there is no appetite to even replace missing signs or correct errors in Wheatbelt and Great Southern Regions so no chance of this occurring, but it is useful to ponder it. 

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From: aussie-...@googlegroups.com <aussie-...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Alex Csar <alex...@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, 9 March 2017 9:09 AM
To: aussie-...@googlegroups.com

Subject: Re: [Aussie Highways] Re: Northlink Project - associated changes to route numbering

[Squeeowl]

As work on the middle and north sections really starts to swing into action and with the completion of the Southern section of the project only a couple months away, Main Roads WA have posted this fantastic drone footage with overlaid concept drawings of the final design at various intersections. 
The image that the video closes with seems to indicate that some of the roadside artwork (the noodles / yellow sticks) that is currently located at the existing Roe / Kwinana interchange is going to be replicated and/or relocated (perhaps tying in with the Roe Hwy extension to Murdoch Drive) to Northlink.

[Sam Laybutt]

Pretty cool - thanks for posting Squeeowl. I need to get a drone... :)

Spotted this little hint of route numbering at the end of the video - unfortunately it cuts out before it reaches the sign but it looks like NH95 might be re-routed onto Northlink?

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From: aussie-...@googlegroups.com <aussie-...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Squeeowl <sque...@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, 15 December 2017 4:24 PM
To: Aussie Highways
Subject: [Aussie Highways] Re: Northlink Project - WA (Tonkin Hwy Extension to Great Northern Hwy / Brand Hwy)

 

[James Clarke]

Drove through this today, noted the signs for Collier Road are noted as Collier Link. Apparently the City of Bayswater gave the new road a new name instead of renaming the old part of Collier Rd

https://engage.bayswater.wa.gov.au/proposed-naming-of-portions-of-Collier-Rd-Spencer-St-and-Wright-St1

[Sam Laybutt]

How ridiculous - even if the official road name is Collier Link for addressing purposes (with no housing on it), how does this help navigation at all? Let's sign a major exit as a road name which extends a total of one block either side of the interchange! 

---

From: aussie-...@googlegroups.com <aussie-...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of James Clarke <jeoc...@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, 10 March 2018 5:14 PM

To: Aussie Highways
Subject: [Aussie Highways] Re: Northlink Project - WA (Tonkin Hwy Extension to Great Northern Hwy / Brand Hwy)

[James Clarke]

Yeah, it's stupid. They should rename the 2 stumps, not the new portion. 

[James Clarke]

Just sent Main Roads a query and they got back to me , tought I'd share

Hello,

I was wondering if you could provde some info on Northlink:

 

1. Will the new highway be called Tonkin Hwy all the way to Muchea?

2. Will State Route 4 be carried all the way to Muchea?

 

3. Will National Highway 95 be rerouted on the new road or will that continue on it's current alignment?

Thanks in advance

 

James Clarke

Good afternoon James,

 

We can confirm that the new highway from the intersection of Reid Highway / Tonkin Highway to Muchea will be called Tonkin Highway when NorthLink WA is complete. Tonkin Highway will tie into Great Northern Highway approximately at the Old Gin Gin Road location.

 

In relation to route numbers for the new highway, Main Roads are undergoing discussions regarding changes to existing route numbers and therefore route numbers may change for these roads in the future.

 

Thank you for getting in touch with NorthLink WA.

 

Regards,

 

Jessica on behalf of

The NorthLink WA Team

Main Roads WA

Will be very interested to see how the route numbers go

On Wednesday, June 10, 2015 at 4:21:09 PM UTC+8, Squeeowl wrote:

[Squeeowl]

Very interesting... I mean with many other east coast style changes that MRWA have taken on recently (e.g merging) could we finally see Alphas in WA? Though somehow I still doubt that.

Still on the topic of Northlink, is it just me or is the southern section taking absolutely forever to get to 100% completion? It's about 6 months past when it was meant to be done and it seems they're still slowly getting all the final touches done. GATEWAYWA stages were completed much more efficiently.

[Paul Rands]

Good result on the reply :)

Paul Rands
li...@paulrands.com

Sent from my iPhone

> On 8 Apr 2018, at 11:18, Squeeowl <sque...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Very interesting... I mean with many other east coast style changes that MRWA have taken on recently (e.g merging) could we finally see Alphas in WA? Though somehow I still doubt that.
>
> Still on the topic of Northlink, is it just me or is the southern section taking absolutely forever to get to 100% completion? It's about 6 months past when it was meant to be done and it seems they're still slowly getting all the final touches done. GATEWAYWA stages were completed much more efficiently.
>

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[James Clarke]

Yeah, they were pretty quick, had a similar experience when I put in a query about Gateway WA when that was being built. 

[Squeeowl]

Not all the signs mind you... shiny new directional signs at the interchange have appeared that say "Collier Rd". What a mess. 
Let's see if MRWA bother to coverplate with "LINK" instead (same with the existing signage along Tonkin Hwy that refers to Collier Rd).

[Squeeowl]

Interestingly enough, all references to Collier Link have been removed! I wonder if MRWA over-ruled the City of Bayswater on this decision.

Speaking of this project, the southern section has been practically finished for over 3 months now, yet speed restrictions and lane closures continue. Not sure what is going on.

[Squeeowl]

Part of the of the central section of Northlink opened on the 22nd of January (Hepburn Ave - Gnangara Rd, albeit with no finished interchanges as per this PDF) with minimal fanfare / media attention last week.

Not much in the way of signage revealed so far, although one sign I saw on the Northlink Community Group Facebook page indicates SR82 appears to have been extended to terminate with SR53 at the Hepburn Ave / Beechboro Rd North interchange.

[Paul Rands]

Excellent, I will have to make some edits on the site to reflect this. So hard to keep up of late!

Paul Rands

li...@paulrands.com

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Subject:

[Aussie Highways] Re: Northlink Project - WA (Tonkin Hwy Extension to Great Northern Hwy / Brand Hwy)

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[James Clarke]

Had this interesting interaction with the admin of that Northlink page

James Clarke Quick question about the route number. Obviously SR4 is being used as per the signage. If this is the main freight route North, shouldn't NH95 be rerouted to Tonkin and GN Hwy south of Muchea be assigned a new SR?

Manage

 ·  · 2w

Main Roads Western Australia Yes, that's right, State Route 4 will be as signed, as it is an extension of the existing Tonkin Highway.
There will be a wider review of the route numbering system. This will take time and involves consultation with relevant stakeholders.

Manage

 ·  · 2w

James Clarke Alpha-Numerics perhaps? It seems that generally the SR signage has been abandoned a little, eg SR87 and SR66 are reallyonly signed near the Mitchell and GF freeways respectively. Will be intererested to see where this goes.

So it looks like there are widespread changes int the pipeline, but not for a while

[Squeeowl]

Reid / Tonkin Interchange opened today! Tonkin Hwy now open continuously through to the temporary T junction with Gnangara Rd. The Gnangara Rd Parclo style interchange is due to open in a few weeks.
Wonder how much longer until the rest of the central section up to Ellenbrook is done, they seem to be making excellent progress.

[Squeeowl]

The next section up to The Promenade opened on Saturday 17th, with the remainder of the project due to open by the end of the year, as was promised way back in 2015.

There were a lot of grumbles about delays to the section between Gnangara Rd and The Promenade, as anecdotally this section has been finished since approx June but there were signifcant delays to electrical works / street lighting getting the final sign off before the remainder of the central section could be opened up.

So far I've spotted one error on signage along the route - Signage stating the next 3 exits after the Gnangara Rd interchange has Morley Drive signed as SR72, not SR76.

[James Clarke]

Send them an email, they are pretty quick to fix these things if you tell them

[Squeeowl]

aaaand it's finished! 6 months late, but they haven't had the best luck weather wise alongside other compliance related delays along the way. 

The good news is that despite the inter-regional border closures, the checkpoint for this is just north of Muchea, so that the whole road can be used effective immediately. 

[Squeeowl]

Drove the new stretch today! Didn't take any pictures, but some notes:

• Even though the road has been open for a week, cover-plates are still in place throughout the network. Figure they would have sorted this out by now.
• 110 speed limit goes into effect immediately after Ellenbrook (The Promenade) turnoff. 
• Rural standard chip seal surface after the Maralla Rd Overpass / Nature Bridge - very, very rough and loud, feel like it's inevitable for this to get resurfaced in the future to a standard bitumen seal. Feel sorry for those with houses close to the road as considering there's no sound barrier, it would be real loud. Observed a truck watering the road which indicates they're having ongoing issues with this, and social media indicates A LOT of windscreen damage!
• Maralla Rd Nature Bridge is clearly setup to be a potential future interchange - considering this road borders the northern border of Ellenbrook, I have no doubt this is a future election promise in waiting to appeal to the ~5000-1000 voters in the adjacent area.
• Muchea Road South is also clearly setup to be a future potential interchange. 
• Brand / GNH Interchange is HUGE - they've done a really great job with customising this sort of interchange to suit Double / Triple trailer roadtrains. Massive Rest Area / BP Roadhouse still under construction and blocked off.
• New VMS gantries no longer overhang the road reserve as all other prior installations have in WA. 

As for the route numbers...

• SR85 Neaves Rd only signed westbound at the interchange - it appears SR85 Eastbound to Muchea S Rd / Rutland Rd will be decommissioned, similar to what happened to SR55 after the Leach Hwy upgrade. 
• NR1 signed correctly for Brand Hwy.
  
• NH95 route shield for GNH no longer has "NATIONAL" at the top of the shield - it's just signed throughout as a green and gold coloured NR shield (with one instance of it incorrectly signed as a white/black NR shield just prior to the Tonkin / Brand / GNH interchange). I wonder if this is a permanent design change that MRWA have made? Will be interesting to see if any of these pop-up elsewhere.
• No sign of any route decommissioning for GNH south of the Brand / GNH / Tonkin interchange. 

[Sam Laybutt]

I drove Northlink on Saturday and got at least chips in the windscreen from memory - really poor job on the chip seal given it had been open for nearly 48 hours by that stage.

Lots of non-compliances with signs on this stage, especially every single NH95 shield being non-compliant as you noted below. The whole lot is a mess to be frank. Has the 1km advance exit sign been installed for the Brand Hwy exit yet? Last weekend it was missing and a VMS was there in its place.

I think NH95/NR1 will be retained along the GNH for now - would probably take an investment in alpha-numeric route numbering to actually get the money required to change the hundreds of signs that need to change. 

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From: aussie-...@googlegroups.com <aussie-...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Squeeowl <sque...@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, 30 April 2020 5:06 PM
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Subject: [Aussie Highways] Re: Northlink Project - WA (Tonkin Hwy Extension to Great Northern Hwy / Brand Hwy)

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[Squeeowl]

Still not installed, and the VMS was switched off, actually quite a hazard as the interchange pops up with zero warning. Several other VMS through the route with caution regarding the chip seal. I didn't have any issues thankfully, but seeing the watering truck on the road makes me think it's not quite sorted yet.

Wouldn't surprise me if we see those incorrect NH95 shields appear elsewhere going forward with every single one not-compliant. And agreed, too much effort to amend/decommission routes unless they change the whole thing.

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[DrazPhlaz]

Keen for WA to move to alphanumeric so they can wipe clean that horrendous national highway mess. M1 would run down the entire Tonkin highway, continue west along Thomas road as A1 (until they extend it), then continue down Forrest Hwy (M1)

[Nihat]

was concrete pavement considered? although i cant see any concrete highways in wa so might be like vic and not suitable 

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[davis]

If they're scrimping on hot-mix asphalt, they ain't doing concrete!

[James Clarke]

I emailed MRWA about the black and white 95, it is wrong, it's supposed to be the National green and gold

[James Clarke]

Went driving up there again on Sunday, the incorrect black and white 95 route marker has not been updated.

SR85 Now officially terminates at Tonkin Hwy. The signage at the intersection of Great Northern Hwy and Rutland Road has been updated to remove the SR85

[Squeeowl]

Not surprised re Black & White NR95 marker - they haven't fixed the erroneous SR72 for Morley Drive Southbound past Gnangara Rd despite it getting reported and that's been open for over 12 months. I'm sure they'll get around to it one day.
Interesting that they have actually formally decommissioned SR85 east of Tonkin Hwy, they've never done the same for other routes that appear to have been truncated as part of highway upgrades (thinking of SR55 on Abernethy Eastbound after Leach Hwy). 

[Sam Laybutt]

The decommissioning of SR85 east of Tonkin seems entirely unnecessary IMO, as the route still connects to GNH which is remaining a numbered route, and is still a signed route to Bullsbrook. 

Probably the only reason the route got 'decommissioned' was that all the direction signs were updated to say 'To 4 Tonkin Hwy' from GNH westward. 

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From: aussie-...@googlegroups.com <aussie-...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Squeeowl <sque...@gmail.com>

Sent: Thursday, 28 May 2020 5:26 PM

To: Aussie Highways <aussie-...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [Aussie Highways] Re: Northlink Project - WA (Tonkin Hwy Extension to Great Northern Hwy / Brand Hwy)

[li...@paulrands.com]

Great report! I only got to cover up to Ellenbrook in January. Hopefully once COVID-19 dies down and I return to WA, I can get a run along it.

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Paul Rands

li...@paulrands.com