Procurement for Stage 1 of Tonkin Hwy Extension & Thomas Rd Upgrade moves to next phase

The Request for Proposal (RFP) phase has commenced in the procurement process for the first stage of the Tonkin Highway Extension and Thomas Road Upgrade project in Western Australia. 

Shortlisted consortia who will be submitting proposals for the project include: 

• Tonkin Extend Alliance – consisting of Laing O’Rourke, Garli, WSP and Arcadis 
• Tonkin Extension Alliance – consisting of Georgiou, BMD, Civcon, GHD and BG&E 

Stage One of works will extend Tonkin Highway from Thomas Road to Mundijong Road as a four-lane dual carriageway as well as upgrade Thomas Road to South Western Highway including duplication works from Kargotich Road to South Western Highway. A grade separated interchange will also be built at Thomas Road and Tonkin Highway. 

These works will ultimately deliver a non-stop transport link between Oakford and Mundijong, enhance access to ports and the south west as well as help grow residential and commercial areas to the south, west and east. 

The project will provide significant benefits to local residents and road users by removing heavy traffic from local roads and delivering better connectivity with safe pedestrian and cycling facilities and new equine crossings. 

An alliance contract is due to be awarded in late 2024. Meanwhile, Expressions of Interest for Stage Two of the project, which will extend Tonkin Highway from Mundijong Road to South Western Highway, has been released to market. 

The more than $1 billion Tonkin Highway Extension and Thomas Road Upgrade project is jointly funded by the Australian and Western Australian Governments, each contributing $749 million and $296 million respectively. 

The project is expected to support up to 2,200 direct and indirect jobs during the construction phase. 

“The extension of Tonkin Highway represents the largest road investment Perth’s south-east corridor has ever seen. 

“The project will increase network capacity, improve road freight efficiency and ease traffic congestion on local roads now and into the future. 

“It will improve access to growing residential and commercial areas, the airport and the freeway, and better connect people to jobs and education opportunities. 

“The project also supports and aligns with our Westport outer harbour plans in Kwinana, and will also provide even better transport options for our southern suburbs alongside the METRONET Byford Train Station,” Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said. 

The scope of works on the Tonkin Highway Extension include: 

• 14-kilometre extension of Tonkin Highway from Thomas Road to South Western Highway as a four-lane dual carriageway 
• Principal Shared Path (PSP) on the eastern side of the Tonkin Highway extension for the full 14 kilometre length, including: 
• Connections to Thomas Road, Orton Road, Bishop Road, Mundijong Road and South Western Highway 
• Five underpasses at grade separation locations (Thomas Road and Bishop Road) 
• Footbridge overpass at Orton Road 
• Minor road connections (Copper Road and Adamson Street) 
• Grade separated interchange at Bishop Road 
• Roundabouts on Tonkin Highway at Orton Road, Mundijong Road and South Western Highway 
• Underpasses at Abernethy Road (road, pedestrian, cyclist and equine), Gossage Road (equine only) and Shanley Road (road, pedestrian, cyclist and equine) 
• Roundabouts at Hopkinson Road/Abernethy Road, and Shanley Road/Jarrahdale Road/South Western Highway 
• Bridges over rail at Bishop Road (as part of interchange) and Wright Road 

On the other hand, Thomas Road Upgrade will include: 

• Widen and duplicate 4.5 kilometres of Thomas Road between Tonkin Highway and South Western Highway (the section from Thomas Road over Rail to South Western Highway has already been upgraded as part of the METRONET Project) 
• Construction of a new grade separated interchange at Thomas Road and Tonkin Highway. This will allow traffic to move freely with fewer interruptions 
• Construction of 4.5 kilometres of new shared path on the south side of Thomas Road 
• Provision of a new signalised equine crossing to connect Byford and Darling Downs bridle paths 
• Local intersection upgrades including: 
• Ballak Place – Left-in/left-out only 
• Hopkinson Road (north of Thomas Road) – Realign to connect with Kardan Boulevard cia a new roundabout at the intersection of Thomas Road 
• Hopkinson Road (realigned) and Kardan Boulevard 
• Hopkinson Road (south of Thomas Road) – Cul de sac 
• Masters Road – new roundabout 
• Briggs Road – Left-in/left-out access only 
• Plaistowe Boulevard – New traffic signals to improve access for general traffic and buses 
• Wungong South Road – Reconstruction to an improved priority-controlled intersection 

The Tonkin Highway Extension and Thomas Road Upgrade project complements the nearby METRONET Byford Rail Extension, METRONET Thomas Road Over Rail, and Thomas Road Safety Improvements between Kwinana Freeway and South Western Highway. 

“The extension of Tonkin Highway to South Western Highway and upgrades to Thomas Road are an incredibly important project to our community. 

“The extension and upgrades will assist in removing heavy vehicles from local roads and also facilitate more efficient movement of freight between Perth and the South West. 

“Whether it’s the delivery of a train station in Byford or the biggest road investment in the State’s history, our Government will continue to do what is right by our community,” Darling Range MLA Hugh Jones said. 

Source: Government of Western Australia – Media Statements; Main Roads Western Australia (1, 2)