❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses the Roe Highway extension's impact on wetlands, traffic, and alternative transport solutions like light rail. The government outlines the project's benefits for freight and access, while downplaying negative impacts.
AnsweredQoN 572Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
ROE HIGHWAY EXTENSION
(1) Once Roe Highway, as planned in the metropolitan region scheme, which threatens to irrevocably damage one of the last remaining wetlands and significant remnant bushland in our region, is completed — (a) where will it terminate in the west; and (b) without significant investment on transport infrastructure in the South Metropolitan Region—for instance, an east-west passenger light rail and an expanded rail freight system—how many years will it be before road traffic returns to current levels on Leach Highway? (2) If the current proposed Roe Highway extension ends at Stock Road, what additional volume of traffic will end up in the Melville residential area? (3) Does the government have any plans to establish passenger light rail to alleviate road congestion and facilitate more sustainable urban design? Hon SIMON O’BRIEN
(1) Once Roe Highway, as planned in the metropolitan region scheme, which threatens to irrevocably damage one of the last remaining wetlands and significant remnant bushland in our region, is completed — (a) where will it terminate in the west; and (b) without significant investment on transport infrastructure in the South Metropolitan Region—for instance, an east-west passenger light rail and an expanded rail freight system—how many years will it be before road traffic returns to current levels on Leach Highway? (2) If the current proposed Roe Highway extension ends at Stock Road, what additional volume of traffic will end up in the Melville residential area? (3) Does the government have any plans to establish passenger light rail to alleviate road congestion and facilitate more sustainable urban design? Hon SIMON O’BRIEN
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) (a) The western end of the Roe Highway extension is planned to terminate at Stock Road. (b) The extension of Roe Highway is a significant investment in transport in the South Metropolitan Region. The new extension is a key freight route to the outer harbour and will improve access to the inner harbour, including the removal of a significant number of trucks currently using routes such as Leach Highway. It will also reduce traffic on local roads and allow improved access to the Murdoch area. As such, the new route will provide a different function from that of Leach Highway. Future traffic volumes on Leach Highway will depend on a number of factors, including local access needs and normal growth in traffic volumes. (2) It is unlikely that the Roe Highway extension will impact on local traffic in the suburb of Melville. Detailed traffic studies will be carried out to determine the impact. (3) A key project objective of the Roe Highway extension is to reduce freight traffic on Leach Highway and Kwinana Freeway. Light passenger rail in lieu of the Roe Highway extension will not achieve this objective.
(b) without significant investment on transport infrastructure in the South Metropolitan Region—for instance, an east-west passenger light rail and an expanded rail freight system—how many years will it be before road traffic returns to current levels on Leach Highway?
(3) Does the government have any plans to establish passenger light rail to alleviate road congestion and facilitate more sustainable urban design? Hon SIMON O’BRIEN replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) (a) The western end of the Roe Highway extension is planned to terminate at Stock Road. (b) The extension of Roe Highway is a significant investment in transport in the South Metropolitan Region. The new extension is a key freight route to the outer harbour and will improve access to the inner harbour, including the removal of a significant number of trucks currently using routes such as Leach Highway. It will also reduce traffic on local roads and allow improved access to the Murdoch area. As such, the new route will provide a different function from that of Leach Highway. Future traffic volumes on Leach Highway will depend on a number of factors, including local access needs and normal growth in traffic volumes. (2) It is unlikely that the Roe Highway extension will impact on local traffic in the suburb of Melville. Detailed traffic studies will be carried out to determine the impact. (3) A key project objective of the Roe Highway extension is to reduce freight traffic on Leach Highway and Kwinana Freeway. Light passenger rail in lieu of the Roe Highway extension will not achieve this objective.
Hon SIMON O’BRIEN replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) (a) The western end of the Roe Highway extension is planned to terminate at Stock Road. (b) The extension of Roe Highway is a significant investment in transport in the South Metropolitan Region. The new extension is a key freight route to the outer harbour and will improve access to the inner harbour, including the removal of a significant number of trucks currently using routes such as Leach Highway. It will also reduce traffic on local roads and allow improved access to the Murdoch area. As such, the new route will provide a different function from that of Leach Highway. Future traffic volumes on Leach Highway will depend on a number of factors, including local access needs and normal growth in traffic volumes. (2) It is unlikely that the Roe Highway extension will impact on local traffic in the suburb of Melville. Detailed traffic studies will be carried out to determine the impact. (3) A key project objective of the Roe Highway extension is to reduce freight traffic on Leach Highway and Kwinana Freeway. Light passenger rail in lieu of the Roe Highway extension will not achieve this objective.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) (a) The western end of the Roe Highway extension is planned to terminate at Stock Road. (b) The extension of Roe Highway is a significant investment in transport in the South Metropolitan Region. The new extension is a key freight route to the outer harbour and will improve access to the inner harbour, including the removal of a significant number of trucks currently using routes such as Leach Highway. It will also reduce traffic on local roads and allow improved access to the Murdoch area. As such, the new route will provide a different function from that of Leach Highway. Future traffic volumes on Leach Highway will depend on a number of factors, including local access needs and normal growth in traffic volumes. (2) It is unlikely that the Roe Highway extension will impact on local traffic in the suburb of Melville. Detailed traffic studies will be carried out to determine the impact. (3) A key project objective of the Roe Highway extension is to reduce freight traffic on Leach Highway and Kwinana Freeway. Light passenger rail in lieu of the Roe Highway extension will not achieve this objective.
(1) (a) The western end of the Roe Highway extension is planned to terminate at Stock Road. (b) The extension of Roe Highway is a significant investment in transport in the South Metropolitan Region. The new extension is a key freight route to the outer harbour and will improve access to the inner harbour, including the removal of a significant number of trucks currently using routes such as Leach Highway. It will also reduce traffic on local roads and allow improved access to the Murdoch area. As such, the new route will provide a different function from that of Leach Highway. Future traffic volumes on Leach Highway will depend on a number of factors, including local access needs and normal growth in traffic volumes. (2) It is unlikely that the Roe Highway extension will impact on local traffic in the suburb of Melville. Detailed traffic studies will be carried out to determine the impact. (3) A key project objective of the Roe Highway extension is to reduce freight traffic on Leach Highway and Kwinana Freeway. Light passenger rail in lieu of the Roe Highway extension will not achieve this objective.
(3) A key project objective of the Roe Highway extension is to reduce freight traffic on Leach Highway and Kwinana Freeway. Light passenger rail in lieu of the Roe Highway extension will not achieve this objective.
(b) without significant investment on transport infrastructure in the South Metropolitan Region—for instance, an east-west passenger light rail and an expanded rail freight system—how many years will it be before road traffic returns to current levels on Leach Highway?
(3) Does the government have any plans to establish passenger light rail to alleviate road congestion and facilitate more sustainable urban design? Hon SIMON O’BRIEN replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) (a) The western end of the Roe Highway extension is planned to terminate at Stock Road. (b) The extension of Roe Highway is a significant investment in transport in the South Metropolitan Region. The new extension is a key freight route to the outer harbour and will improve access to the inner harbour, including the removal of a significant number of trucks currently using routes such as Leach Highway. It will also reduce traffic on local roads and allow improved access to the Murdoch area. As such, the new route will provide a different function from that of Leach Highway. Future traffic volumes on Leach Highway will depend on a number of factors, including local access needs and normal growth in traffic volumes. (2) It is unlikely that the Roe Highway extension will impact on local traffic in the suburb of Melville. Detailed traffic studies will be carried out to determine the impact. (3) A key project objective of the Roe Highway extension is to reduce freight traffic on Leach Highway and Kwinana Freeway. Light passenger rail in lieu of the Roe Highway extension will not achieve this objective.
Hon SIMON O’BRIEN replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) (a) The western end of the Roe Highway extension is planned to terminate at Stock Road. (b) The extension of Roe Highway is a significant investment in transport in the South Metropolitan Region. The new extension is a key freight route to the outer harbour and will improve access to the inner harbour, including the removal of a significant number of trucks currently using routes such as Leach Highway. It will also reduce traffic on local roads and allow improved access to the Murdoch area. As such, the new route will provide a different function from that of Leach Highway. Future traffic volumes on Leach Highway will depend on a number of factors, including local access needs and normal growth in traffic volumes. (2) It is unlikely that the Roe Highway extension will impact on local traffic in the suburb of Melville. Detailed traffic studies will be carried out to determine the impact. (3) A key project objective of the Roe Highway extension is to reduce freight traffic on Leach Highway and Kwinana Freeway. Light passenger rail in lieu of the Roe Highway extension will not achieve this objective.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) (a) The western end of the Roe Highway extension is planned to terminate at Stock Road. (b) The extension of Roe Highway is a significant investment in transport in the South Metropolitan Region. The new extension is a key freight route to the outer harbour and will improve access to the inner harbour, including the removal of a significant number of trucks currently using routes such as Leach Highway. It will also reduce traffic on local roads and allow improved access to the Murdoch area. As such, the new route will provide a different function from that of Leach Highway. Future traffic volumes on Leach Highway will depend on a number of factors, including local access needs and normal growth in traffic volumes. (2) It is unlikely that the Roe Highway extension will impact on local traffic in the suburb of Melville. Detailed traffic studies will be carried out to determine the impact. (3) A key project objective of the Roe Highway extension is to reduce freight traffic on Leach Highway and Kwinana Freeway. Light passenger rail in lieu of the Roe Highway extension will not achieve this objective.
(1) (a) The western end of the Roe Highway extension is planned to terminate at Stock Road. (b) The extension of Roe Highway is a significant investment in transport in the South Metropolitan Region. The new extension is a key freight route to the outer harbour and will improve access to the inner harbour, including the removal of a significant number of trucks currently using routes such as Leach Highway. It will also reduce traffic on local roads and allow improved access to the Murdoch area. As such, the new route will provide a different function from that of Leach Highway. Future traffic volumes on Leach Highway will depend on a number of factors, including local access needs and normal growth in traffic volumes. (2) It is unlikely that the Roe Highway extension will impact on local traffic in the suburb of Melville. Detailed traffic studies will be carried out to determine the impact. (3) A key project objective of the Roe Highway extension is to reduce freight traffic on Leach Highway and Kwinana Freeway. Light passenger rail in lieu of the Roe Highway extension will not achieve this objective.
(3) A key project objective of the Roe Highway extension is to reduce freight traffic on Leach Highway and Kwinana Freeway. Light passenger rail in lieu of the Roe Highway extension will not achieve this objective.
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