Peak-hour commuters in Perth's south-eastern suburbs faced significant disruptions after a serious crash forced the closure of a major arterial road on Friday morning.
According to 7News, the crash was reported shortly after 6am on Tonkin Highway northbound, with emergency services quickly mobilised to the scene. St John WA advised that a man was being treated for critical injuries sustained in the collision.
The northbound section of Tonkin Highway between Mills Road West and Gosnells Road West, spanning the suburbs of Martin and Maddington, was completely closed whilst emergency crews worked at the scene. The total closure created a significant bottleneck for Friday morning commuters navigating the route to Perth's CBD and northern suburbs.
Main Roads WA advised motorists to consider alternative routes to avoid the congestion. Commuters were urged to exit the freeway at either Corfield Street in Gosnells or via Albany Highway to bypass the closure. Traffic was reported to be heavily backed up towards Corfield Street as drivers sought alternate paths through the area.
The circumstances surrounding the crash remained unclear as of the time of reporting. The incident highlights the vulnerability of major transport corridors to unexpected disruptions; when a single serious collision occurs on a key freeway section, the ripple effect across the transport network can be substantial.
For regular users of Tonkin Highway in the Martin and Maddington corridor, such closures underscore the importance of journey planning, particularly during peak hours when there is limited flexibility for rerouting and congestion quickly compounds.