Speed limit dropped to 70km/h along South West minesite road

Drivers will have to hit the brakes driving into a South West minesite, with a council voting to introduce a speed limit on a regional road.

Drivers heading down Willowdale Road to access Alcoa Australia’s Willowdale minesite will now be limited to 70km/h, with the Shire of Waroona endorsing a letter of support to Main Roads WA to introduce the speed limit change after Alcoa initially indicated the risk.

Shire documents state the road has no signage to indicate the speed, so drivers passing the Arundel intersection, the Willowdale Main Store of the regional mine, often assume it is 100km/h.

“This creates a significant safety hazard, westbound vehicles are accelerating to about 100km/h before the Arundel intersection, as they leave the existing 80km/h zone,” the documents state.

New signs will clarify the speed on the section of road extending from the refinery access of the minesite.

The shire’s approval also includes the approval to extend the slip lane for traffic entering Arundel, subject to additional permits, approvals and funding by Alcoa.