William Scott
New data from Main Roads Western Australia shows the Wilman Wadandi Highway is having a positive impact on congestion across local road networks.
With up to 18,000 vehicles using the new highway per day, there is significantly less traffic on the old Robertson Drive-Bussell Highway bypass.
In the days leading up to the opening of the new road, Forrest Highway leading into Bunbury was being used by 20,000 to 25,000 vehicles per day, while the Bussell Highway leading into Bunbury was being used by 20,000 to 24,000 vehicles daily.
Data from the first two weeks of the new road, showed traffic volumes on the same stretches of road were hovering between 8,000 and 13,000 per day.
The significant reduction in traffic volumes has helped to ease congestion, improve travel times and made the local road network safer for Bunbury and surrounding communities.
Meanwhile, traffic data from Wilman Wadandi Highway was strong across the first two weeks, with daily volumes ranging between 11,000 and 18,000 vehicles per day.
Commuters using the new the new road to travel to the South West are now avoiding 13 sets of traffic lights, making the journey smoother and easier.
Western Australian Transport Minister, Rita Saffioti, said, “Before the opening of this road, locals around Bunbury were forced to compete with tourist and freight traffic moving to and from the South West, but that’s now a thing of the past.
“We’re seeing up to 18,000 vehicles per day using the new road, and that means they’re not clogging up local Bunbury roads as they move to and from destinations in the South West.
“That means less congestion, safer commutes and faster travel times around the area, which is a brilliant outcome for the local community.”
Bunbury MLA, Don Punch, “The feedback I’ve been receiving from locals and people using the new road has been really positive, and these numbers show why.
“The roads are less congested, people can get around our city easier and we’re not having to compete with that tourist traffic.
“Of course, there are still finishing works underway and I want to thank the community for their ongoing patience while we complete those works.”
