COMMUNITY consultation meetings with Riverslea area residents this week may determine the final alignment of the $74 million Margaret River perimeter road.
Bunbury-based Main Roads WA director South West operations, Brett Belstead, told Augusta-Margaret River Shire councillors and Blackwood Stirling MP Terry Redman last week that the alignment of the final section of the seven-kilometre long road would be decided after the community meetings on Monday and Tuesday.
“The road will come within about 300 to 400 metres of residents in the Riverslea area so they need to have a say on their preferred option,” Mr Belstead said.
He said once alignment of the proposed stage two section was finalised environmental approvals would be sought for the full bypass route, from Bussell Highway a kilometre south of Darch Road, south of Margaret River, a sweep east of the town to rejoin Bussell Highway near the airport road turnoff.
Approvals from both state and federal environmental agencies were needed before construction work could start on the southern stage one section, and the agencies would only consider the entire alignment, Mr Belstead said.
Planning and approvals would be for a four-lane perimeter road but only two lanes will be constructed initially, he said.
Mr Belstead said Main Roads had agreements with all of the land owners necessary for purchase of land for the construction of stage one.
On Thursday, Mr Redman announced the State Government had allocated $13 million to buy the land and construct 1.8 kilometres of stage one of the road, from a roundabout on Bussell Highway in a sweep to just south of Rosa Brook Road.
“The purpose of the perimeter road is to provide an alternative route for heavy vehicles and through traffic which currently travels through the centre of Margaret River,” Mr Redman said.
“The log trucks and heavy haulage that go through town certainly detract from the amenity and getting rid of them from the centre of town will greatly improve safety.”
Mr Redman said of the $13 million, $9.5 million is from the new Safer Country Roads initiative, $2.5 million from the South West Development Commission and $1 million is a Royalties for Regions grant for the shire.
He said the funding indicated the government’s commitment to the project.
“The State Government is not going to leave stage one stranded on its own, we are committed to stage two.”
Mr Redman said providing environmental approvals were in place, work could start on stage one next financial year.
He paid tribute to South West MLC Barry House who had been an advocate for the road that was first mooted in the 1980s.
Cr Ian Earl is to be the council’s representative on the Margaret River Perimeter Road Community Reference Group.
The group will include technical officers from the council and Main Roads, a representative each from the Margaret River Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Leeuwin Conservation Group, and community members.
Nominations for the reference group close on Friday. It will have input on detail design, including the perimeter road intersection with Rosa Brook Road, noise mitigation, landscaping and environmental aspects.
