Construction of a new roundabout at the intersection of Marshall Road and Beechboro Road North in Bennett Springs.
Background
Marshall Road is classified as a District Distributor which is a road, providing a high level of connectivity between primary roads and other distributor roads. It serves as an important transport link between the Urban Growth Corridor, Tonkin Highway and the Malaga Industrial Area.
Marshall Road currently experiences significant traffic volumes, which has increased in recent years due to the construction of major connecting road infrastructure, ongoing urban growth within surrounding suburbs including Whiteman, Bennett Springs, Dayton and Brabham, as well as traffic associated with the recently completed Perth Film Studios and Ballajura Station.
Traffic counts undertaken in March 2025 recorded approximately 12,885 vehicles per day (vpd) travelling along the existing single carriageway.
Traffic modelling indicates that by 2031, Marshall Road is expected to carry approximately 21,700 vehicles per day between Silver Swan Road and Beechboro Road North, exceeding the generally accepted threshold for road duplication requirement. Roads carrying more than 15,000 vehicles per day are typically considered suitable candidates for duplication to improve capacity, safety and network efficiency.
To cater for this future demand, the duplication of Marshall Road is currently in the planning phase and is proposed to be delivered in multiple stages over future financial years, subject to funding availability, approvals and Council budget allocations.
Project Benefits
Upon completion, the Marshall Road Upgrade Program is expected to deliver a range of benefits to the community, including:
- Increased road capacity to accommodate future traffic growth;
- Reduced congestion and improved travel times along the corridor;
- Improved safety for motorists through upgraded intersections and road infrastructure;
- Enhanced network resilience and connectivity between Tonkin Highway, the Urban Growth Corridor and surrounding suburbs;
- New and improved facilities for pedestrians and cyclists through the provision of a continuous shared path;
- Improved street lighting and visibility, enhancing safety and accessibility for all road users, particularly during night-time conditions; and
- Support for the long-term growth and development of the City of Swan and the broader north-east metropolitan region.
Project timeline
Stage one construction starts
Early in the 2026/27 financial year
Stage one construction complete
Scheduled for the end of the 2027/28 financial year
Network need
With new developments and the opening of the nearby Ballajura train station, traffic on Marshall Road has increased significantly.
The City is planning to widen (duplicate) the road between Beechboro Road North and Drumpellier Drive to improve capacity.
Safety
The most common crashes here are rear-end collisions, often linked to congestion.
This road was originally designed as a semi-rural route, not for the level of use it sees today. These features will be added as part of the full upgrade.
Despite the lower rank, if we duplicate Marshall Road and do not install the planned roundabouts at these intersections, there would be an increased risk of right-angle/intersection crashes as traffic would have to cross an extra lane with no protections.
Decisions are based on:
- Traffic volumes and growth
- Crash history
- Road layout
- Safety standards from Main Roads WA Selection of Intersection Control guidelines.
Even if crash numbers are low, improvements may still be made if a location is considered potentially unsafe, if it is supported by recommendations from a detailed site investigation and/or formal road safety inspection (RSI).
- Add another carriageway (more lanes)
- Boost traffic flow
- Install streetlighting
- Add footpaths for walking and cycling
- Upgrade intersections with roundabouts.
Due to drainage, power poles and space constraints, it’s not practical to build temporary footpaths on Marshall Road. Footpaths will be included in the full upgrade.
Project delivery (funding and staging)
- How important the road is (priority is weighted toward roads that carry the highest traffic loads)
- Traffic levels
- Safety data (including five-year crash data supplied by Main Roads WA)
- Alignment with major projects and growth areas.
- Available funding (including grants)
- Land acquisition
- Moving utilities (power, water, etc.)
- Environmental and planning approvals
- Construction limitations.
The scale of the upgrade is beyond what the City can fund alone without impacting other priorities.
Upgrade: Major reconstruction to increase capacity, improve safety and redesign the road.
Stage 1 of the program is currently in progress, comprising the upgrade of the Marshall Road/Beechboro Road North intersection, including construction of a new roundabout in 2026/27.
In the meantime, the City will continue to conduct routine maintenance, such as pothole repairs, while progressing planning and approvals and advocating for funding to deliver the future stages of the project.