Highway plan sparks debate

Great Southern readers have reacted overwhelmingly in favour of a proposal last week to widen Albany Highway to a dual carriageway.

On January 10 Albany Advertiser reported Albany councillor Robert Sutton wanted to see 400km of Albany Highway widened to improve safety and cut driving times.

Seventeen people died on Albany Highway from 2013-17, and Cr Sutton said he wanted to see that figure reduced by upgrading the highway to the standard of the Forrest Highway linking Mandurah and Bunbury.

The 90km Forrest Highway is a dual-lane motorway, with traffic separated by a nature strip.

Online the proposal sparked heated debate, but most readers seemed to agree with the proposal.

Liz Watkins, frustrated by slow traffic on the highway, claimed widening the road would bring myriad benefits.

“Getting stuck behind trucks and caravans for too long is a big deterrent for tourists, not to mention it stops many people taking a much-needed rest stop when tired,” she said.

“Dual lanes would not only increase our tourist population, it would make the road much safer for everyone.”

However, Juliana Allen was not convinced, calling the proposal “utter rubbish”.

“It’s the drivers, not the road,” she said.

“We travel every six weeks to Perth and see absolute idiots doing irresponsible acts of driving.

“It’s education we need, not more lanes.”