Mitchell Fway Extension including PSP

[rolandp]

From Main Roads
The new extension of Mitchell Freeway from Burns Beach Road in Kinross to Hester Avenue in Clarkson, opened before morning peak Friday 4 August.

The opening to traffic followed after final line marking works, safety checks and traffic management were completed on Thursday night.

This included temporary line marking at Burns Beach Road that will direct traffic onto the new section of freeway. Final line marking will be installed at a later date. Watch for updates on our project web page https://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/Buildin ... y-Ext.aspx and social media channels including https://www.facebook.com/MainRoadsWesternAustralia/

The local community is eager to benefit from the new road network, however there are a few activities we needed to work on after opening. Specifically, ongoing lane and ramp closures at the Neerabup Road northbound on-ramp to the freeway, Hester Avenue and Wanneroo Road intersection and closures on the Principal Shared Path south of Clarkson train station.

Went for a ride up this morning, went over the PSP new bridge over the Burns Beach Road, and then hit the closure sign. So when Main Roads announces this as being open, with "closures on the Principal Shared Path south of Clarkson train station." this should read, the bridge over Burns Beach Road is open.

You ride down from the north side on the new bridge, and hit an other "close sign", and no where to go except to ride on Burns Beach Road. I eventually made it back, and continued through the suburbs looking for access to this new PSP, all are gated up. Made it to Clarkson via local roads, and tried to access the new PSP north of Clarkson train station, and closed.

So with the exception of the new bridge, which you can't get out of, what exactly was opened on Thursday of the PSP?

[Mububban]

Will this path be a nice long uninterrupted pathway heading north, or will it still involve dropping off the PSP onto back streets and hoping you can pick it up again?

[rolandp]

Will this path be a nice long uninterrupted pathway heading north, or will it still involve dropping off the PSP onto back streets and hoping you can pick it up again?

From what I saw, PSP all the way to Hester Ave. Even at Clarkson train station, as far as I could tell, the PSP runs below the ramps to get to the station. And, an unusual concept for the Mitchell Fway PSP, it was all on the west side. I also saw light poles,which again is a rarity for this PSP.

[Scott_C]

By stopping at Hester Ave they failed to join the PSP through to the section built as part of the train line extension to Butler (which starts where the Butler line leaves the freeway reserve, about 2km North of Hester Ave). Knowing how bad DoT is at planning we will probably get PSP from Butler to Yanchep before they complete this gap they have left next to Nowergup Yard.

[novice_101]

Is there a path all along the freeway before the new section ?? I haven't tried yet cos from what I can see it breaks up continuously? I would like to go from Leederville to Joondlaup (or further now with new path), but I think the existing path(s) is broken everywhere, and you can't do a continuous ride ?

[rolandp]

Is there a path all along the freeway before the new section ?? I haven't tried yet cos from what I can see it breaks up continuously? I would like to go from Leederville to Joondlaup (or further now with new path), but I think the existing path(s) is broken everywhere, and you can't do a continuous ride ?

Here is one I prepared back in2014 Google Maps. This takes you to Padbury, and 2-3 additional section in Woodvale on local roads. Simple.

Note, MainRoads are now reporting:

The new Principal Shared Path (PSP) along the Mitchell Freeway extension is closed while we carry out essential asphalting works. The PSP will be opened to pedestrians and cyclists in stages throughout August (weather permitting), as work on each section of the path is completed.

Bit concerning that essential works are required, given that it was only open last Thursday. Pick up my sarcastic tone.

Anyone remember when the Kwinana Fway extension was completed and we were able to cycle on it one weekend prior to motorists.

[novice_101]

Cheers, will have to give it a bash sometime and see where I end up!!

[enduro2]

I live close ro the freeway and would very much like a continuous cycle path along its edge. From what I can see, there is plenty of soace and it's a missed opportunity.

My current exploits have caused me to completely loose the path at around Beach Rd. Inadequate signage and maps make the ride quite unfavourable. Similarly, a continuous ride along Reid Hwy shoukd have been part of the infrastructure.

[Mububban]

Here is one I prepared back in2014 Google Maps. This takes you to Padbury, and 2-3 additional section in Woodvale on local roads. Simple.

Request sent.

Heading north, I get off the PSP onto Warwick Rd on my way home and thus haven't been on the PSP north of there. I might have to have an explore and see where I end up.

[Scott_C]

My current exploits have caused me to completely loose the path at around Beach Rd. Inadequate signage and maps make the ride quite unfavourable.

The path at Beach Rd stays on the West of the Freeway and remains on the West until just South of Greenwood Station where there is a footbridge that crosses the Freeway. There are 4 other footbridges between Reid and Greenwood Station and taking any but the last of them strands you on the East side of the Freeway with no continuation further North.

From Greenwood Station you remain on the East of the Freeway until Moore St where you cross back to the West and you should remain on the West until Hester Ave where the path currently ends. There isn't an easy way to get from Hester Ave to the disconnected bit of path that goes to Butler station.

Unfortunately the Mitchell Freeway was built at just the wrong time for cycling infrastructure such that something was provided but it was well below an acceptable standard. Now that it is in use no one in Government wants to pay to improve it because of the difficulties of working around the existing paths and their inability to add it to the total amount of cycling infrastructure available in Perth.

The sad thing is that there will be a proper North/South path built along Northlink so, as a cyclist you'd be better living in Muchea and having quality off-road cycling infrastructure all the way in to Perth than in Joondalup or Butler and dealing with the Mitchell Freeway PSP.