Upgrade work on the A$145m ($113m) Armadale Road in Western Australia has started following the turning of the first sod on the project.

The project will involve the upgrade of a 6.9km section of Armadale Road to a dual carriageway in each direction.

Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan said that the upgrade would help to ease congestion in the southern suburbs and improve safety.

McGowan added: “The creation of a dual carriageway and the removal of dangerous bottlenecks will lead to more predictable journey times for road users.

“2018 will be a big year for road improvements across Perth, with at least eight major road projects starting construction, while many others will reach planning completion and be released for tender.”

“2018 will be a big year for road improvements across Perth, with at least eight major road projects starting construction, while many others will reach planning completion and be released for tender.”

Federal Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities Paul Fletcher said that the project will provide a safer journey for the more than 27,000 vehicles that use Armadale Road each day between Tapper Road and Warton Road.

The project, which is being constructed by the Metropolitan Road Improvement Alliance, is set to support more than 850 direct and indirect jobs.

Following the upgrade of the traffic corridor, motorists and truck drivers will have a safer link in south Perth’s increasingly busy road network.

As part of the upgrade, the freight route from a single-carriageway road suited to a semi-rural environment will be transformed into a dual-carriageway urban road.

The Armadale Road project is said to be part of a series of major upgrades that are expected to address most congested roads in Perth.

Weather permitting, the project is expected to be completed late next year.