State Government announces road development project to improve intersection near Bunbury Farmer’s Market

The State Government has today announced plans to reduce congestion at one of the South West’s busiest intersection.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti travelled to Bunbury on Friday morning to unveil a $20 million road project for the intersection of Vittoria Road and Forrest Highway, allowing for easier and safer access to the Bunbury Farmer’s Markets.

Ms Saffioti said she hoped the new development would ease pressures on the existing intersection.

“We all know accessing the Bunbury Farmer’s Market on a weekend or public holidays, pretty much every day, can be very difficult,” she said.

“We hope this will very much improve road safety in this area, have much better access to the farmer’s market and also facilitate stronger movement in the area and ... allow the local residents to have access to more facilities closer to them.”

The intersection currently accommodates more than 30,000 vehicles per day, with the McGowan Government hoping the new build will improve traffic flow, cater for future growth in the area and ease pressure on the existing intersection.

Earlier this year, the Federal Government awarded $16 million in funding to improve safety in Glen Iris, which will go towards the development, with the remaining $4 million to be provided by the State Government.

Bunbury Farmer’s Market owner Kevin Opferkuch said provided the development did not reduce access to the markets, the changes would be “incredibly positive.”

“We’d love to see congestion taken away from Vittoria Road and Forrest Highway,” he said.

“It is a busy intersection and a dangerous intersection, we’ve highlighted that with the Minister over a long period of time, so that was partly the catalyst for this.”

While design plans have not been released, Mr Opferkuch hoped a left lane into the Farmer’s Market from Vittoria Road would be included.

“We hope to see a dedicated left lane on Vittoria Road heading into the Farmer’s Markets so it doesn’t interfere with traffic heading straight down Vittoria Road,” he said.

“That’s been one of the big issues, some drivers become quite impatient trying to go down there and it gets clogged.”

Construction on the intersection is expected to begin in late 2024.