Both deadly wrong-way Mitchell Freeway crashes Romeo Road-related, Main Roads confirms

Main Roads WA maintains the Romeo Road-Mitchell Freeway interchange met Australian road safety standards despite it being linked to the deaths of three people in two separate wrong-way freeway crashes.

While it was comfortable with the road layout in place when the interchange opened in 2023, Main Roads confirmed it was working on additional road safety treatments to prevent motorists wanting to travel south on the freeway from turning onto the northbound off-ramp.

The spotlight was first shone on the design of the interchange after the death of Perth grandfather Johnny Gray, 60, who crashed his pink classic Chevrolet into another vehicle as he was travelling the wrong way down the freeway at night after turning onto the off-ramp at Romeo Road.

After an investigation, Main Roads completed some additional safety treatments, including line markings and bigger signage at the off-ramp intersection.

Two months later, ceiling fixer Kaleb Brunsdon drove his Izuzu ute southbound on the northbound lanes of the Mitchell Freeway when he and a Toyota Yaris hatchback heading north collided about 11.25pm on February 8.

The 56-year-old female driver of the Yaris died at the scene, while Brunsdon was taken to Joondalup Health Campus where he later died.

Main Roads confirmed Brunsdon entered the freeway at Romeo Road, but a spokeswoman reiterated the interchange met safety standards.

“Main Roads’ internal investigation found the current road environment meets all relevant Australian Standards and Austroads guidelines,” she said.

However, she said the government listened to the community’s feedback and was rolling out additional changes to “deter incorrect vehicle movements onto Mitchell Freeway and enhance safety in the area.”

“Last December, Main Roads installed additional signs, upgraded existing signs to bigger signs, added new arrows, and pavement markings to clearly show the median,” she said.

“Main Roads will now reshape and kerb the already painted median nose on Romeo Road to further discourage wrong-way right-turn movements into the north-bound Mitchell Freeway exit ramp.”

The spokeswoman said the kerb outline was being installed last week and it would be infilled by May.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti backed her agency and said she was confident a thorough investigation had occurred after each incident and the government responded accordingly.

When asked whether she was disappointed it took three deaths for the interchange to be upgraded, Saffioti said the state constantly monitored road conditions.

“This is something that we constantly consider, whether it be intersections and other road improvements, we constantly are looking at how we can improve road safety,” she said.

When asked whether she was confident the work Main Roads was completing at the intersection now would prevent further deaths, Saffioti said the reality was that road accidents can happen on any road at any given time.

“But what we aim to do is constantly improve the safety on our roads, and where we have to, improve the physical infrastructure, signage, line markings, and we’ve spent a record amount in relation to road safety,” she said.