Perimeter Road

{{Short description|Road in South West region of Western Australia}}

{{Use Australian English|date=December 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2014}}

{{Infobox Australian road

| type = highway

| road_name = Perimeter Road

| state = WA

| image =

| caption =

| length = 7

| length_ref =

| est = 2018

| route = {{AUshield|S|10}} State Route 10

| direction_a = North

| end_a = {{AUshield|S|10}} Bussell Highway {{small|(State Route 10)}}

| exits = {{Plainlist|

• John Archibald Drive
• Rosa Brook Road
• Darch Road
• Airport Access Road

}}

| direction_b = South

| end_b = {{AUshield|S|10}} Bussell Highway {{small|(State Route 10)}}

| city = {{WAcity|Margaret River}}

}}

The Perimeter Road,{{cite web|url=https://yoursay.amrshire.wa.gov.au/margaret-river-main-street-development/news_feed/bussell-highway-road-closure-northern-access-to-the-town-centre|title=Bussell Highway Road Closure from 27 February – Northern access to the town centre|publisher=Shire of Augusta-Margaret River|date=26 February 2020|access-date=8 November 2021}} also known as the Margaret River Perimeter Road, is a highway bypass of Margaret River, Western Australia. The {{convert|spell=in|7|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} road deviates Bussell Highway traffic, including heavy vehicles, to the east of the town, and connects to a new airport access road. It is planned to eventually be a dual carriageway, but has initially been constructed as a single carriageway, in two stages.{{cite web|author1=Main Roads Western Australia|title=Project Overview: Margaret River Perimeter Road|url=https://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/Documents/MR%20Perimeter%20Road%20newsletter.RCN-D13%5E23700085.PDF|publisher=Government of Western Australia|accessdate=5 December 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205030455/https://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/Documents/MR%20Perimeter%20Road%20newsletter.RCN-D13%5E23700085.PDF|archivedate=5 December 2014 |url-status=live|format=PDF|date=November 2013}} Construction of stage one, from south of Margaret River to Rosa Brook Road, began in December 2014 and was completed in May 2015. Construction of stage two – the remaining northern section – began in September 2017{{cite web|url=https://project.mainroads.wa.gov.au/home/completed/margaretriver/Pages/default.aspx|title=Margaret River Perimeter Road|publisher=Main Roads Western Australia|accessdate=25 August 2019}} and was completed in February 2019, with an opening in December 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2018/12/Margaret-River-Perimeter-Road-open-in-time-for-Christmas.aspx|title=Margaret River Perimeter Road open in time for Christmas|publisher=Government of Western Australia|date=24 December 2018|accessdate=25 August 2019|archive-date=25 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825130632/https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2018/12/Margaret-River-Perimeter-Road-open-in-time-for-Christmas.aspx|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2019/02/Margaret-River-Perimeter-Road-reaches-practical-completion.aspx|title=Margaret River Perimeter Road reaches practical completion|publisher=Government of Western Australia|date=28 February 2019|accessdate=25 August 2019|archive-date=25 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825130627/https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2019/02/Margaret-River-Perimeter-Road-reaches-practical-completion.aspx|url-status=dead}} An extension of John Archibald Drive and the redevelopment of Bussell Highway in the town were included in the business case for constructing stage two.

Stage two of the project received $60 million of funding from The Nationals Western Australia to enable a complete bypass to be constructed, rather than a "road to nowhere".{{cite news|title=Margaret River Perimeter Road goes somewhere|url=http://www.margaretrivermail.com.au/story/2547528/margaret-river-perimeter-road-goes-somewhere/|accessdate=5 December 2014|work=Augusta-Margaret River Mail|publisher=Fairfax Media|date=9 September 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011164323/http://www.margaretrivermail.com.au/story/2547528/margaret-river-perimeter-road-goes-somewhere/|archivedate=11 October 2014 |url-status=live}} The state government provided the $13 million to construct stage one.{{cite web|last1=Terry|first1=Redman|authorlink1=Terry Redman|title=State funds for Margaret River Perimeter Road Stage 1, Redman |type=Media release|url=http://www.nationalswa.com/News/MediaReleases/tabid/83/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/2173/State-funds-for-Margaret-River-Perimeter-Road-Stage-1-Redman.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205031910/http://www.nationalswa.com/News/MediaReleases/tabid/83/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/2173/State-funds-for-Margaret-River-Perimeter-Road-Stage-1-Redman.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 December 2014|publisher=The Nationals WA|accessdate=5 December 2014|date=23 August 2012}} The total cost was $47.6 million.

The project underwent an Environmental Impact Assessment and Aboriginal Heritage survey. Action was taken to compensate for the loss of native vegetation,{{cite web|author1=Main Roads Western Australia|title=Margaret River Perimeter Road|url=https://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/BuildingRoads/Projects/planning/Pages/MargaretRiver.aspx|publisher=Government of Western Australia|accessdate=5 December 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205035302/https://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/BuildingRoads/Projects/planning/Pages/MargaretRiver.aspx|archivedate=5 December 2014 |url-status=live|date=3 December 2014}} and a zoologist was employed to identify and relocate native fauna at the start of stage one construction.{{cite news|author1=Augusta-Margaret River Times|title=Work starts on Margaret River bypass|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/regional/south-west/a/25545714/work-starts-on-margaret-river-bypass/|accessdate=5 December 2014|work=The West Australian|date=18 November 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205033830/https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/regional/south-west/a/25545714/work-starts-on-margaret-river-bypass/|archivedate=5 December 2014 |url-status=live}}

The perimeter road has been designed to reduce congestion, improve safety for the many pedestrians, including tourists, who use the road, and provide heavy vehicles with a lesser gradient to ascend or descend.{{cite web|author1=South West Development Commission|author2=Regional Development Australia – South West|title=Margaret River Perimeter Road|url=http://www.swdc.wa.gov.au/media/92527/south%20west%20action%20statement.pdf|website=South West Action Statement|publisher=South West Development Commission|accessdate=5 December 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110225184659/http://swdc.wa.gov.au/media/92527/south%20west%20action%20statement.pdf|archivedate=25 February 2011 |url-status=live|page=17|format=PDF}}