Roundabout to ease flow

After months of roadworks, the South Western Highway northern roundabout is open to the public.

The roundabout was fully opened on Monday and is a major part of stage two of the Manjimup Town Centre Revitalisation Project.

Funded through Royalties for Regions, part of the roundabout’s aim was to provide more thoroughfare into the CBD and the updated Manjimup Timber and Heritage Park.

The roundabout could not be fully opened until permanent lighting had been installed and approval by Main Roads WA.

Manjimup shire president Paul Omodei said he was happy the “major” infrastructure had been completed.

“It is vital that the entrances are readily identifiable to visitors,” he said.

“The lack of defined entrances combined with the detached nature of the town centre from the highway creates relatively high levels of traffic passing through without stopping.”

The roundabout also provides a direct link from East Manjimup into the town centre without traffic having to divert on to the highway, with the aim to have significant traffic flow benefits as the town expands.

“The concept was designed on the basis of providing an entry statement that will attract passing traffic into Manjimup’s town centre,” Cr Omodei said.

“Additionally, the entry statement is critical to providing confidence in Manjimup, which is important to stimulating economic investment opportunity in the region.

“This project will create the environment to slow vehicles and make it easy to enter the town centre. The roundabout will be supplemented by visual cues to the town centre, including improved signage and future landscaping.”