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| Menang Drive Western Australia | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Type | Road |
| Length | 16.6 km (10 mi) |
| Opened | 2007 (first section) 2024 (entire road) |
| Route number(s) | State Route 103 |
| Major junctions | |
| Northeast end |  Chester Pass Road (National Route 1) King River |
| |
| South end | Princess Royal Drive Mount Melville |
| Location(s) | |
| Major suburbs | Willyung, McKail, Gledhow, Mount Elphinstone |
Menang Drive, also known as the Albany Ring Road, is a 16.6-kilometre-long (10.3 mi) expressway-standard ring road which frames the northern and western suburbs of the city of Albany in Western Australia.
The road provides an uninterrupted free-flowing heavy haulage route from Chester Pass Road in the northeast to Princess Royal Drive and the Port of Albany in the south, in the process connecting the four major access roads that exit to the north and west of the city.
Route Description
Menang Drive commences at a controlled T-junction with Chester Pass Road on the boundary of Willyung to the west and King River to the east. The road proceeds in a westerly direction through Willyung as a two-lane single carriageway. After 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) an at-grade intersection with Rocky Crossing Road is encountered, followed by Kinjarling Road 1.7 kilometres (1.1 mi) later. After 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) Menang Drive starts to veer south-westerly and rises to cross over Albany Highway. Most of the movements are covered in the form of a grade separated interchange with a single ramp however dedicated free-flowing ramps are provided for traffic exiting Menang Drive eastbound onto Albany Highway north as well as for both entries from Albany Highway southbound (the movement from Albany south to Menang west is looped). The interchange is 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) long.
Menang Drive thens curves directly to the south after the Albany Highway interchange. Now within the suburb of McKail the road proceeds due south for 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) until a second single-ramp grade-separated interchange is encountered with South Coast Highway. The ramp also intersects with Link Road which until the interchange was running parallel to the west of Menang Drive. Menang Drive passes under South Coast Highway and enters the suburb of Gledhow. The road runs parallel with George Street to the west for a further 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) where it then curves to the southeast to reach the alignment of the Great Southern Railway.
The final 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) segment of Menang Drive runs in a generally easterly direction, parallel with both the Great Southern Railway as well as Lower Denmark Road immediately to the south. At-grade intersections are provided at Old Elleker Road and Roundhay Street spaced roughly 2.0 kilometres (1.2 mi) apart. The road enters Mount Elphinstone 300 metres (980 ft) after the latter intersection and curves back to the southeast. The third and final single-ramp grade-separated interchange is then encountered, which connects Menang Drive to both Hanrahan Road and Frenchman Bay Road via a three-legged roundabout. A separate roundabout connects Menang Drive to Lower Denmark Road via the Frenchman Bay Road overpass. Menang Drive ends shortly after the overpass, and continues as Princess Royal Drive to both the Albany city centre as well as the Port of Albany.
History
Planning for the what was then known as the Albany Ring Road commenced in 1997, however it was not until 24 February 2006 when the then minister for planning and infrastructure, Alannah MacTiernan, announced $10.4 million in funding was awarded for the funding of Stage One.
Stage One
Stage One, which consisted of the section connecting Chester Pass Road to Albany Highway, commenced construction after an opening ceremony was held on 28 March 2006 Construction of the 6.5 km section took 13 months to complete and was opened on 27 April 2007. At the same time the road was renamed Menang Drive, which loosely translates to "southerners" and was named in tribute to the Mineng indigenous group that inhabited the area.
Stages Two & Three
In 2012, $1 million in joint funding between the state and federal governments was made available for the planning and detailing of Menang Drive down to the Port of Albany. This work was undertaken between 2012 and 2015
On 13 July 2020, it was announced that construction of the $175 million Stage Two extension would commence in September 2020. The scope consisted of the conversion of the intersection with Albany Highway to a grade-separated interchange as well as an extension to Lancaster Road. The interchange opened to traffic in April 2022.
The final designs for Stage Three were issued on 1 September 2021 and involved modifications to the interchanges with South Coast Highway and Hanrahan/Frenchman Bay Roads. Construction commenced in March 2022 with the full extension opened to traffic on 19 May 2024
In February 2024, it was announced that the intersection between Menang Drive and Chester Pass Road would be made partially grade-separated, with the movement from Chester Pass Road southbound to Menang Drive westbound moved onto a flyover. The $37 million project commenced construction in late 2024.
See also
- Mandurah Road - a partial ring road constructed around the city of Mandurah.
- Robertson Drive and Wilman Wadandi Highway, the inner and outer Ring Roads that bypass the city of Bunbury.
References
- "Albany Ring Road" (PDF). Main Roads WA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 October 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- MacTiernan, Alannah. "$10.4million contract awarded for Albany Ring Road stage one". Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- "Stage one of ring road begins". ABC News Australia. 29 March 2006. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- "Stage one of Albany Ring Road opens to traffic - with a new name". Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- Peake, Grant. "A Meeting of Two Worlds". Albany Historical Society. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- Buswell, Troy. "Funding for Albany Ring Road planning". Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- Saffioti, Rita. "Albany Ring Road reaches new milestone for WA's Great Southern region". Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- Saffioti, Rita. "Joint media statement - Albany Ring Road Phase 2 designs unveiled following community feedback". Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- Saffioti, Rita. "Joint Media Statement - Work on final section of Albany Ring Road underway". Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- "Albany Ring Road Project May 2024 Update" (PDF). Main Roads WA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 October 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- "Albany Ring Road - Menang Drive and Chester Pass Road Flyover" (PDF). Main Roads WA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 October 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
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| List of road routes in Western Australia | |||
