A new shared path along the eastern side of Mitchell Freeway aims to fill the off-road gap for bike riders and pedestrians journeying into Perth CBD.
Decmil Southern Pty Ltd has been awarded a $23.3 million contract for construction of the path, which will run for 3.7 kilometres along the Mitchell Freeway southbound, linking Reid Highway in Balcatta with Civic Place in Stirling.
The project includes an 80 metre underpass at Karrinyup Road, meaning bike riders and pedestrians will no longer need to interact with traffic at the busy intersection.
As part of the project, upgrades will also be undertaken at the busy intersection of Karrinyup Road and Cedric Street.
The right turn pocket on Karrinyup Road into Cedric Street will be almost doubled on the eastern approach with the left turn pocket extended to 80 metres, preventing traffic bank up at the intersection.
Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said: "The new path between Civic Place and Reid Highway will close a key gap along the Mitchell Freeway, linking the Stirling community to the Perth CBD.
"Since the opening of the Principal Shared Path between Hutton Street and Glendalough Station in late 2020, we've seen a 50 per cent increase in trips, and we expect more growth when the new path is opened."
Major construction is set to commence later this year.
The shared path aims to create a safe journey between Balcatta and Stirling, and better access in and out of the Perth CBD.
Balcatta MLA David Michael said: "Stirling and Balcatta are booming communities, so it makes a lot of sense to have a cycle network that connects to the Perth CBD."