Latest News About Tonkin Highway

Here’s a concise update on Tonkin Highway based on recent public reporting:

• Perth’s Tonkin Highway is undergoing a major south-eastern extension project (Tonkin Highway Extension and Thomas Road Upgrade) aimed at easing congestion for growing suburbs. A 14-kilometre extension from Thomas Road to South Western Highway, including interchanges, is a centerpiece of this program, with construction milestones and budget discussions widely covered in late 2024–2025. The project is designed to improve travel times and safety for local traffic and freight movements.[1][3]
• A significant funding and procurement milestone occurred with the Tonkin Highway Extension project securing contract arrangements and progressing through design and construction phases, including environmental approvals and collaboration between state and federal authorities. This includes ongoing development work at Kelvin Road and related Thomas Road upgrades, with anticipated completion in the late 2020s. These updates reflect the project’s multi-year timeline and phased delivery.[2][3]
• In late 2025 and into 2026, there were reports of major traffic events on Tonkin Highway, including closures due to crashes, which impacted peak-hour travel and highlighted ongoing safety and traffic management considerations along the corridor.[4]

Illustration

• A simplified view: Thomas Road upgrades (duplication) + Tonkin Highway Extension (14 km, dual carriageway) + interchanges and a shared-use path along the extension, connecting growing southern suburbs to major routes and job hubs.[3]

Notes

• The Tonkin Highway project has drawn attention for its cost evolution (e.g., earlier estimates around hundreds of millions rising toward about $1 billion for the extension and related works), reflecting scope expansion and inflation factors observed in public reporting through 2024–2025.[1][3]
• For the latest precise status, you may want to check the Western Australian Department of Transport/Main Roads updates and recent local news from Perth outlets, as project milestones and completion dates can shift with approvals and funding changes.[2][4]

Would you like me to pull the most current official updates or news articles from a specific outlet (e.g., Main Roads WA, local papers) to confirm the latest status and timeline? I can also summarize planned works by segment (Thomas Road upgrade, Kelvin Road development, etc.) if that helps.