Road Photos & Information: Western Australia
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Tonkin Highway
(State Route 4) |
Statistics:
- Length: 81 km
- Northern Terminus: Great Northern Highway (NH95) and Brand Highway (NR1) at Muchea
- Southern Terminus: Thomas Road (SR21) at Darling Downs
- Suburbs, Towns & Localities along route: Darlng Downs, Brookdale, Forrestdale, Champion Lakes, Gosnells, Martin, Maddington, Orange Grove, Kenwick, Wattle Grove, Forrestfield, Kewdale, Cloverdale, Redcliffe, Ascot, Bayswater, Morley, Noranda, Malaga, Ballajura, Ellenbrook, Bullsbrook and Muchea
Route Numbering:
- Current:
- Road Authority Internal Classification: H17 1
General Information:
Tonkin Highway links the south-east corridor with the north-east and north-west corridors of the metropolitan areas.1 The highway is a multi-laned limited access dual carriageway and provides direct access to Perth airport and was built in several stages.
The highway was originally named the Beechboro-Gosnells Highway, the name coming from the two suburbs it was originally planned to link. It was eventually renamed Tonkin Highway in honour of former West Australian premier John Tonkin.
History:
- 1980: Stage 1, from Welshpool Road to Hardey Road, opened.
- 22 December 1980: Tonkin Highway (12.2 km) from Albany Highway to Hale Road opened. 1
- 11 July 1984: Tonkin Highway extension (3.6 km) from Railway Parade to Morley Drive opened. 1
- April 1985: Stage 4, linking Hardey Road and Great Eastern Highway opened. This included the construction of four bridges over the Forrestfield railway yards, the first bridges in Australia to be constructed using the incremental launch technique. On opening of this stage the Beechboro-Gosnells Highway was renamed Tonkin Highway after former West Australian premier John Tonkin. 1
- 1988: the northern and southern sections were linked with the opening of the Redcliffe Bridge
- 18 December 1989: Tonkin Hwy extension from Benara Rd to Morley Drive opened. 1
- 11 November 1991: Tonkin Highway (Benara Rd to Reid Highway) opened. 1
- April 2005: The section between Mills Road West and Armadale Road was opened to traffic by the then Premier Geoff Gallop. 1
- December 2005: Tonkin Highway extension from Armadale Road to Thomas Road was opened to traffic by the then Premier Geoff Gallop. 1
- February 2013: Work commenced on building on ramp from Abernethy Rd to Tonkin Hwy. 2
- November 2013: Abernethy Road and Tonkin Highway interchange completed and opened to traffic. 3
- May 2017, Tonkin Highway and Kelvin Road intersection upgraded to improve traffic flow and safety. The upgrade works included additional through lanes on Tonkin Highway and additional and extended turning lanes, including a double right-turn for the high number of vehicles turning from Tonkin Highway southbound to Kelvin Road westbound. New cycle lanes were provided on the Tonkin Highway approaches and departures while pedestrian facilities, traffic signals and street lighting were also upgraded. 4
- June 2018: As part of NorthLink WA works, completion of upgrade of Tonkin Highway to a freeway-standard, free-flowing link with six lanes between Guildford Road and Reid Highway. 5
- 17 August 2019: Tonkin Hwy between Reid Hwy (SR3) at Malaga and The Promenade at Ellenbrook opened to traffic.
- April 2020: Tonkin Hwy between Ellenbrook and Muchea opened to traffic.
1 Main Roads WA
2 Government of Western Australia, Media Releases, Joint Media Statement - Billion-Dollar Gateway WA Now Underway, 1 February 2013
3 Government of Western Australia, Media Releases, New ramp at Abernethy Road now open, 13 November 2013
4 Main Roads Western Australia, Completed Projects, Tonkin Highway and Kelvin Road intersection, 16 July 2018
5 Main Roads Western Australia, Project Update, NorthLink WA, June 2018
Last updated: 26-Jul-2020 12:29
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