Drivers frustrated by years of work on highway in Western Australia's South West

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Drivers in WA's South West have expressed frustration at the amount of time it's taking to complete the duplication of the Bussell Highway. Regional residents say ongoing roadworks on a 17-kilometre stretch of the highway are putting lives at risk.

Transcript

00:00A 17-kilometre stretch of road aimed at easing congestion between two busy tourist towns

00:08in regional WA, but the duplication of the bus or highway has led to years of frustration

00:14for regular commuters.

00:15I moved out to Capeville three years ago, just under three years, and the road works

00:21were going to be finished in approximately six to twelve months.

00:24Three years down the track, we're still waiting.

00:26The works were supposed to be completed in 2023, that was changed to 2024, but the work

00:33continues.

00:34I can see the potential for it to be a really good project once it's finished, but the constant

00:40frustration of broken promises and goal posts being moved with regards to when is it ever

00:45going to be finished.

00:46We try and open the lanes and go back and finish work, otherwise the frustration of people when

00:51they see lanes that look perfectly good, not open, is often higher than the frustration

00:56of seeing some further works.

00:58Work on the bustle highway duplication have been ongoing since 2020, with main roads now

01:03expecting finishing works to wrap up in early July, weather permitting.

01:07In the meantime, locals are fearing that ongoing delays mean traffic will continue to be diverted

01:14onto Chetewitt Drive, a single lane, tree-lined road not designed for high volumes.

01:20Thousands of drivers are diverting down the usually quiet 14-kilometre stretch of regional road

01:27to avoid the roadworks.

01:29Locals are worried if drivers are allowed to continue using Chetewitt Drive, it could lead

01:35to tragedy.

01:36Originally the old road that used to be used, you know, like 50 years ago, there's so many

01:42tragedies that have happened on that road.

01:44It's just not a safe road for a lot of road traffic to be on every day.

01:49But there's hope years of traffic disruptions will come to an end before anyone else is hurt.

01:55Congratulations.

01:57Congratulations.

01:58Congratulations.

02:00ées

02:03ée

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