Premier Mark McGowan has indicated the state government could pay for the construction of the long-awaited Pinjarra heavy haulage bypass if the referendum showed community support.
During his visit to Pinjarra on Friday last week, Mr McGowan said the state government had increased regional road funding by 20 per cent in this year’s budget, which could be used to fund the project.
“If the referendum gets passed, that’s one of the initiatives that we can consider,” he said.
“I can’t make a commitment today but we can consider it.”
Member for Murray-Wellington Robyn Clarke also expressed her support for the project, which she believed would ease congestion and increase the amenity of Pinjarra’s town centre.
“I am fully supportive of the deviation, I think it needs to happen,” she said.
“If you look down George Street you’ll notice there’s no islands, there’s no trees, there’s ins’t anything in the centre of the road because these trucks take up all lanes and they block from the intersection of George and Pinjarra Road right down past the bridge.
“I don’t think it’s good for business because it’s not a safe place for families to be wandering around.
“I would just like to see the town centre here beautified with trees and actual islands that you can stand and on to cross the road.”
Ms Clarke said Shire of Murray chief Dean Unsworth had meet with minister Rita Saffioti to discuss the issue.
Murray has a say
The Shire of Murray will undertake a referendum on the Pinjarra bypass during the upcoming October council elections.
The Pinjarra Heavy Haulage Deviation Referendum will ask the community to support the construction of a heavy haulage traffic bypass around the eastern side of the Pinjarra town centre along Pinjarra-Williams Road to link in with South Western Highway.
According to Shire President Maree Reid, heavy traffic continues to impact the safety, amenity and economic potential of the Pinjarra Town Centre and the road will exceed its capacity by 2023.