The daily grind for northern suburb drivers is set to ease after the long-awaited extension to the Mitchell Freeway began on Wednesday.
Work on the six kilometre extension is set to improve travel times for motorists in the northern suburbs and boost local economy, according to the Barnett government.
The $209 million project has been funded by the federal kitty, as part of the $499 million windfall from the Abbott government to make up for WA's lost GST revenue, will consist of two lanes in each direction with the capacity to add a third lane in the future.
It will see the freeway extend from Burns Beach Road in Joondalup to Hester Avenue in Clarkson.
Federal Infrastructure Minister Warren Truss said the cash would allow for continued commercial and residential growth in the northern suburbs and would also create more than 100 jobs.
Transport Minister Dean Nalder said investing in state's roads was essential for the continued growth in WA's economy.
"Our focus is on providing people with a choice of travel so they can get to work, home and other destinations," he said.
"The state government is investing heavily in roads, public transport and cycle paths as part of a co-ordinated approach to transport planning.
"Residents will see a significantly different road through the extensive upgrades, with the new section to provide a more direct route to Perth's northern suburbs and relieve traffic build-up on nearby roads."
Federal Moore MP Ian Goodenough said the freeway extension would make it easier for people in the northern suburbs to get across the city.
"The freeway extension will also improve the safety of local roads in suburbs such as Kinross and Currambine, as it will become the better option for traffic from the northern suburbs," he said.
Leighton Contractors is designing and building the extension, for completion by mid-2017.
