Here’s a quick update on the Tonkin Highway situation based on the latest available reporting.
- Perth’s Tonkin Highway Extension and Thomas Road Upgrade is progressing, with a major 14-km extension and associated upgrades planned to improve south-eastern corridors. The project is being delivered in phases, with environmental approvals and procurement milestones noted in late 2024–2025, and construction beginning in 2025.[2][3][7][8]
- The project includes plans for grade-separated interchanges and duplication of surrounding sections (e.g., Thomas Road) to boost capacity and reduce congestion, with cost revisions reflecting expanded scope and rising construction costs discussed by local officials.[1][2]
- Local authorities and councils in the Perth region have highlighted that closures and realignments associated with the Tonkin Highway Extension (such as changes to Hopkinson Road intersections) are part of the upgrade, affecting local traffic patterns during construction.[4][5]
- Public updates and media coverage in 2025–2026 confirm ongoing works, including fly-through visuals released by Main Roads and coverage of the project’s progression, with official project milestones flagged as significant for the region’s infrastructure stock.[7][8][9]
If you’d like, I can pull the most recent articles from specific outlets (e.g., The West Australian, Main Roads WA) or summarize the key dates and expected completion windows. I can also map the extensions and interchanges on a simple timeline or layout to visualize the project phases.
Would you like a concise timeline of milestones or a visual schematic of the planned extensions and interchanges?
Citations:
- Details on the Tonkin Highway Extension and Thomas Road Upgrade scope and milestones[3][8][2][7]
- Cost revisions and scope expansion discussions[1]
- Local traffic changes related to Hopkinson Road closures[5][4]
- Media coverage and project visuals[8][9][7]
Sources
Construction has begun on one of Perth’s largest road infrastructure projects, with the Tonkin Highway Extension and Thomas Road Upgrade now moving into the major works phase. The $1 billion…
wamnnews.com.auProject Update The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has finalised its report on the project, recommending the proposal can be implemented subject to conditions. The EPA Report 1769 can be found on the EPA website. Procurement for Tonkin Highway from Hale Road to Welshpool Road has commenced, with an Expression of Interest released in October 2024. A Design and Construct Contract is expected to be awarded in mid-2025. Development work is ongoing for Tonkin Highway at Kelvin Road....
www.mainroads.wa.gov.auFrom late September 2025, both intersections where Hopkinson Road meets Thomas Road (north and south) will close permanently. This change is part of the Tonkin Highway Extension and Thomas Road Upgrade (THETRU) project, which includes major works like widening Thomas Road and building a new interchange at Tonkin Highway.
www.sjshire.wa.gov.autonkin highway became the center of a major morning disruption after a three-vehicle crash near the Great Eastern Highway off ramp in Bayswater left a motorbike rider with life-threatening injuries. The crash happened about 5. 40am on Monday and quickly turned a routine commuter route into a major traffic problem, with police, St John Ambulance …
www.el-balad.comresulting in a further three hospitalisations. These upgrades will reduce killed or seriously injured (KSI) crashes by up to 59% at each intersection. Improving travel times The project will ease congestion and improve local access and connectivity to and from the highway once delivered.
www.mainroads.wa.gov.auMotorists have been warned to find alternative routes after the crash left a driver critically injured.
thewest.com.auMain Roads released a fly-through visualisation of what the Tonkin Highway Extension and Thomas Road Upgrade will look like once complete.
7news.com.auA $1 billion extension of Tonkin Highway is being touted as a transformational project for Perth’s south-east, as Rita Saffioti and fellow MP’s turned the first sod to mark the start of construction.
thewest.com.au