A tunnel or bridge over Albany’s big roundabout?

Nationals candidate for Albany Rob Sutton has mooted an ambitious plan to divert heavy haulage from the problematic Chester Pass Road Albany Highway roundabout, renewing the idea of an overpass or underpass solution as an alternative to the stalled Albany ring road project.

Recently endorsed as the Nationals’ candidate again after running in 2013, Mr Sutton said a genuine discussion was needed and other options must be investigated to remove the dangers at the roundabout.

The ring road project has stalled at stage one — Menang Drive — which was opened in 2007 and no funding was allocated in the recent State Budget for the remaining two stages to create a heavy haulage route around the Albany CBD and into the port.

Mr Sutton said it was time to stop “hanging” on the ring road to solve the problem.

“It has been acknowledged that it is the most dangerous roundabout in the State — a terrible intersection with lots of tail-end crashes, so let’s start the conversation and do something about it,” he said.

“I propose we look at either underpass or overpasses and start to reconfigure it because we are going to grow as a town, hopefully, otherwise we are failing and going backwards.

“So with an increase in traffic, we have got to bite the bullet and do something different.”

Mr Sutton said he hoped to gauge support from heavy haulage operators for a serious alternative to be discussed.

“I certainly expect support for the conversation to take place,” he said.

“Channelling underneath might be too expensive, but we might be surprised — but if we do nothing we will know nothing.”

Albany MP Peter Watson said the ring road project would be a focus for the Labor Government heading into the State election in March.

He said an overpass or underpass option had previously been investigated when Labor was last in power and found to be too expensive.

“It has been looked at before — even if you had a tunnel, you are still going to have congestion coming up,” he said. “Call it a pipe dream. It will cost a lot more.”