Reid_Highway

Reid Highway

Reid Highway is a major arterial highway in Perth, Western Australia. It is allocated Route 3, and runs between Marmion Avenue, North Beach, and West Swan Road, West Swan, a distance of . For most of its length, the speed limit on Reid Highway is 90km/h, however between Marmion Avenue and Erindale Road (intersecting the Mitchell Freeway) the limit is 70km/h, and near several intersections the limit is 80km/h. The highway is both a two-lane single carriageway from Marmion Avenue to Erindale Road, and from Beechboro Road North to its eastern terminus at West Swan Road, and a four-lane dual carriageway between Erindale Road and Beechboro Road North. In conjunction with Tonkin Highway and Roe Highway, it serves as an important link between the coastal suburbs, northern suburbs, industrial areas and Perth Airport.

History

Reid Highway is one of Perth's newer Arterial Roads. It was first proposed in the late 1960s as the North Perimeter Highway, and a small two-lane stretch was built in early 1986 between Erindale Road and the newly-built stretch of the Mitchell Freeway. It was renamed Reid Highway in 1989, in honour of former Governor Gordon Reid.

The second stage of Reid Highway, between Mirrabooka Avenue and Alexander Drive - not continuous with the first stretch - was constructed in the early 1990s. It was extended east to Beechboro Road in the mid-1990s, connecting with Tonkin Highway and linking the northern suburbs to the airport. In 1997 a further stage linked the two earlier sections (Erindale Road to Mirrabooka Avenue), and linked eastwards to West Swan Road, joining onto the existing Middle Swan Road which provided a link to Roe Highway. In 2001 the highway was extended west to Marmion Avenue and the Erindale-Mitchell stretch was widened, completing a road link through Perth's inner north coastal suburbs.

This most recent extension was highly controversial as it passes through the environmentally sensitive Carine wetlands and the Lake Carine region, which includes a vital turtle habitat. Concerns about environmental damage prompted construction delays, and slight alterations to the route.

Criticism of the quality and capacity of the highway has also been an issue. Reid Highway in Westminster (between Wanneroo Road and Mirrabooka Avenue) has no street lighting and has attracted both antisocial behaviour and a number of accidents. The stretch between Beechboro Road and West Swan Road has been similarly criticised, and areas on either side of the Mitchell Freeway are prone to heavy congestion due to being a single carriageway with only two lanes in parts.

Future extensions

Reid Highway will be extended east to Great Northern Highway as a four-lane dual carriageway by 2008. The extension will run parallel to Middle Swan Road, which will be retained as a local access road. Middle Swan Road is of a relatively poor standard and capacity, and is viewed as a safety blackspot.

Interchanges and exits

Reid Highway runs between Marmion Avenue, North Beach, and West Swan Road, West Swan. West of Marmion Avenue, the highway becomes North Beach Road. All junctions are at-grade and controlled, with the exceptions of North Beach Road, Everingham Road, Duffy Road, and Lord Street, which are uncontrolled. The Wanneroo Road junction is grade-separated.