The Western Australian government has revealed that data collected since the opening of Menang Drive, or the Albany Ring Road, in May shows an average of around 200 trucks have been removed from the centre of Albany every day.
Temporary traffic monitors used throughout August and September is soon to be replaced by permanent counting stations, with the data from these monitors suggesting that around 30,000 trucks destined for the Port of Albany have now used the ring road since it opened.
The state government also expects the number of trucks on the road to grow significantly in the months ahead due to the upcoming grain harvest season, with trucks now able to use the 11km connection between Albany Highway and Princess Royal Drive to get to the Port of Albany.
The new road includes three grade-separated interchanges at Albany Highway, South Coast Highway and Frenchman Bay Road.
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“The data we have obtained to date shows just how big an impact Menang Drive is having on local Albany roads, with thousands of trucks no longer using some of the city’s key arterial routes,” WA transport minister Rita Saffioti says.
“Prior to the opening of this road, heavy vehicles moving to and from the port travelled through the centre of Albany, competing with local traffic along the way.
“With truck movements growing year on year, having heavy vehicles use this route was no longer sustainable or safe for Albany locals, which is why we invested hundreds of millions to build the new ring road.
“Not only is the Menang Drive making Albany roads safer for locals, but it’s also helping underpin the economic viability of the region by providing a safe, efficient and unimpeded corridor for freight to the Port of Albany.”
Prior to the project, vehicles travelling to and from the port would have been using key arterial routes including Chester Pass Road, Albany Highway and Hanrahan Road heightening the safety risk for residents and visitors to the area.
Two designated truck parking bays on Menang Drive close to Lancaster Road are also being heavily used, with demand expected to grow in the coming years.
Meanwhile, residents and visitors are experiencing more efficient journeys, particularly at the southern end of the project following construction of the new Frenchman Bay Road interchange. The interchange has removed a level crossing and two unprotected right turning movements, addressing what had been an accident hotspot and a heavily congested location during the AM and PM peak.
The benefits of the project will be further enhanced following construction of a new flyover at the intersection of Menang Drive and Chester Pass Road, which will provide free-flowing access from Chester Pass Road all the way to the port. Site works are expected to begin next year.
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