Construction is set to begin in early 2027 on a significant upgrade to more than 29 kilometres of Perth’s Kwinana Freeway, stretching between Roe Highway and Safety Bay Road, as part of a $700 million investment jointly funded by the federal and state governments.
A consortium comprising CPB Contractors, McConnell Dowell Constructors, Arup Australia Projects and Jacobs Group has been awarded the contract to deliver the project, which aims to ease congestion and improve safety across Perth’s southern suburbs.
Detailed design work will now begin on 11 kilometres of freeway widening between Russell Road and Mortimer Road.
The project will also add an extra southbound lane from Roe Highway to Berrigan Drive, and an additional northbound lane from Russell Road to Beeliar Drive.
In addition to the widening works, new coordinated ramp signals will be installed on 11 northbound on ramps.
This will extend Perth’s smart freeway network, creating 42 kilometres of continuous smart freeway running from Safety Bay Road through to the Narrows Bridge.
Once complete, the upgrade is expected to increase capacity on the Kwinana Freeway, allowing for smoother traffic flow and reduced travel times for motorists across the region.
The project is also forecast to support up to 4,180 local jobs throughout its construction phase.
Construction is scheduled to begin once environmental approvals are finalised in early 2027, with project completion expected by mid-2029.
However, significant sections of the completed widening works are anticipated to open to traffic as early as late 2028, offering motorists some relief before the full project wraps up.
WA Premier Roger Cook said: “As one of Perth’s busiest roads, we know that once complete this project will have a big impact on the thousands of drivers who use the Kwinana Freeway to get to school, work and home.”
WA Deputy Premier and Minister for Transport and Major Infrastructure Rita Saffioti said the freeway carries an enormous volume of traffic each day, underscoring the need for the upgrade.
“With more than 100,000 road users every weekday, these upgrades will make a huge difference to families going to work and school, and to truck drivers delivering essential goods,” she said.
Saffioti added that the state government has now invested more than $1 billion in upgrades to the Kwinana Freeway, including works around Cockburn, describing the latest project as another step in supporting the growing southern corridor.
The Kwinana Freeway Upgrade forms part of a wider pipeline of infrastructure investment across Western Australia, with both state and federal governments continuing to fund major transport projects designed to support the state’s growing population and economy.