Construction is expected to start soon on the multi-storey car park at the Mandurah Train Station after a preferred builder was announced this week.
Balcatta-based company, PS Structures Pty Ltd, will construct the open-deck car park which will provide three levels of parking with lifts and a staircase.
It will increase capacity at Mandurah Train Station by 700 bays, bringing the overall parking capacity to about 1800 bays.
The new car park will be built on the footprint of the existing northern car park and will be designed to maximise security, natural lighting and ventilation while providing shading and weather protection where possible.
As part of the project, the northern station car park must be closed off with a section of land bordered by Morfitt Street and Galgoyl Road to be developed into a temporary car park.
Demand for car parks at the Mandurah Train Station is expected to skyrocket in coming years, with daily boardings at Mandurah Station jumping from 4431 in 2018 to an estimated 6500 by 2031.
WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the southern suburbs had been booming since Mandurah Station was completed in 2007.
"Providing more parking at Mandurah Station was a key election commitment and we're proud to be getting on with METRONET," Ms Saffioti said.
"This project is yet another way we are continuing to invest in the southern suburbs, with the Lakelands Station project also set to begin this year, and planning for another at Karnup underway."
Mandurah MP David Templeman said the number of passengers on the Mandurah line continued to increase.
Mr Templeman added that even more commuters would take advantage of the public transport network into the future.
"This is a great step forward in delivering this METRONET project and I am pleased that Mandurah commuters will benefit from it," he said.
"While Mandurah and Peel businesses didn't bid for the project, we are stoked to have a local WA company contracted to get the job done and we look forward to local workers getting involved."
Read more on the multi-storey car park:
- New multi-storey car park at Mandurah Train Station to create local jobs, 600 more bays
- Proposed Mandurah Train Station multi-level parking to go ahead regardless of election outcome
- Labor's Mandurah train station carpark a 'political wedge': Canning MP Andrew Hastie
- Election promise: Federal and state Labor pitch $32 million train station parking upgrade
The $32 million project is being jointly funded by the state and federal governments, with a 50-50 split to pick up the bill.
Canning MP Andrew Hastie said the lack of sufficient car parking bays at Mandurah Station had been a persistent local problem.
"Anyone who has tried to get a park on a weekday at Mandurah Station will know how badly this upgrade is needed," he said.
"Expanding the station car park will make daily life much easier for local commuters.
"The population of Mandurah and the Peel region have grown significantly over the last decade. The government is delivering practical solutions that our community needs, both through this upgrade and construction of the new Lakelands station."
Federal Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge added that the car park expansion would help to "bust congestion" on the roads to and from Perth.
"Together with a new station at Lakelands, this project will future-proof access to public transport for communities locally and across the Peel region," he said.
"We also know the delivery of crucial infrastructure projects like the Mandurah is essential to supporting jobs and economic growth at this time."
More than 70 per cent of passengers at the Mandurah Station currently travel to the station by car, with the existing car park reaching 90 per cent capacity by around 9am on weekdays.
As the temporary car park will not offset all the bays closed during construction, a campaign will soon be rolled out to encourage locals to find alternative means - such as bus, cycling or walking - to the station.
The finished project is expected to be complete by mid-2021.