Federal candidates must commit to tackling congestion in the northern suburbs, with the Mitchell Freeway set to be the most congested road in Australia by 2031 and Marmion Avenue/West Coast Highway not far behind at number four in the nation.
RAC General Manager Corporate Affairs, Will Golsby, said congestion could be considerably decreased by investing in technology to improve the performance of both traffic lights and freeway entry ramps.
“Western Australians are tired of wasting time sitting in traffic and it’s forecast to only get worse. There are low cost solutions available including network management technologies that could be implemented immediately,” he said.
“Unless critical transport projects are adequately funded now, Perth’s northern suburbs are predicted to come to a halt.”
RAC is calling on federal candidates to commit to funding measures to improve the traffic flow along Marmion Avenue/West Coast Highway Corridor, and to improve the lane management on the Mitchell Freeway between Hutton Street and Warwick Road.
In 2014, RAC and Main Roads WA reduced queue lengths at intersections by up to 34 per cent in a traffic light technology trial along Orrong Road. By adjusting the signal cycle times, it was found road users experienced reduced waiting times, received green lights more frequently and moved through multiple sets of traffic lights, minimising delays.
“The trial showed that journey times could be reduced by up to 20 per cent simply by improving the coordination of traffic lights on congested roads,” Mr Golsby said.
“By changing the way we manage systems like traffic lights we can squeeze more out of the existing infrastructure and help tackle the growing congestion problem in Perth’s northern suburbs.”
Infrastructure Australia predicts seven of the country’s 10 most congested roads will be in Perth in a mere 15 years’ time, including the top four and the cost of congestion is estimated to be more than $16 billion a year.
As part of the national Keep Australia Moving campaign, RAC is calling on candidates ahead of next month’s Federal Election to commit to a fairer share of funding for the State. Community members can join the campaign by sending a message to their local candidates, asking them to invest in critical projects needed to keep WA on the move.
Network management technology is one of RAC’s top five Federal Priorities for Western Australia.
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Federal candidates must commit to tackling congestion in the northern suburbs, with the Mitchell Freeway set to be the most congested road in Australia by 2031 and Marmion Avenue/West Coast Highway not far behind at number four in the nation.
