Footpaths and roads

The City maintains over 1,000km of roads and over 900km of footpaths within the City of Stirling. Maintenance of roads is partly funded by municipal rates, with additional funding provided through federal and state government grants.

Functional road hierarchy

All public roads within the City of Stirling are classified under a Functional Road Hierarchy, which is a list of road categories ranked in order of transport function.

The major benefits of road classification are:

  • Providing orderly grouping of roads in a framework which governs the planning and implementation of construction and maintenance projects
  • Providing a sound basis for traffic route management, transport and land use for local area traffic management
  • Facilitating reviews so that appropriate actions taken to ensure functional and operational standards are met.

The following classification of roads is shown on the City's Function Road Hierarchy Plan. Further details for each category are shown on the City's Function Road Hierarchy Table.

Local Area Traffic Management (LATM)

Local Area Traffic Management (LATM) is a combination of physical measures aimed at slowing vehicle traffic on local roads, reducing the risk of crashes, changing driver behaviour and improving conditions for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. 

Typical measures include horizontal displacement devices (slow points, chicanes, roundabouts), vertical displacement devices (speed humps, plateaus), and diversion devices (traffic movement restrictions, full or partial road closures). The type of treatment will vary depending on the actual problem and the characteristics of the site.

Requests for traffic management measures are assessed in accordance with Council's Traffic Management Warrants Policy. This policy takes into account a range of safety and amenity factors including:

  • Traffic volumes
  • Travel speeds
  • Crash history
  • Road geometry (bends and crests)
  • Vulnerable road users (school children or elderly residents)
  • Proximity to major activity generators (schools, shops)
  • Percentage of heavy vehicles and peak hour traffic.

The policy ensures that funding is allocated to the highest priority locations that lead to identifiable safety improvements.

The City also has education programs aimed at road user behaviour. For more information, please refer to the road safety page.

Footpaths

The City currently maintains a footpath network stretching over 900km. The construction and maintenance of footpaths is part of the City’s strategic initiative of creating an accessible and connected City.

Footpaths result in improved accessibility for:

  • Children
  • People with prams
  • Members of the community with a disability
  • Pedestrians
  • Cyclists
  • Public transport users.

To report an issue with a footpath, please phone our Customer Contact Centre or lodge a request online.  

Reporting a road issue

All primary roads are the responsibility of Main Roads WA. These include:

  • Mitchell Freeway
  • Wanneroo Road
  • Karrinyup Road (east of West Coast Highway)
  • Morley Drive
  • Stephenson Avenue
  • Marmion Avenue
  • West Coast Highway
  • Reid Highway.

To report an issue with a primary road, please contact Main Roads WA.

Annual public works program

The City of Stirling constructs, maintains and improves facilities and services within the road reserve to improve safety, ease of access and aesthetics in our community.

Roads and traffic management projects

  • The City receives many requests from residents, motorists and Elected Members to assess traffic and road safety issues on the local roads that we manage and are responsible for.

    All requests are assessed under the City’s Traffic Management Warrants Policy. This policy allows requests to be prioritised based on a range of safety and amenity factors including traffic volumes, travel speeds, crash history, road geometry, road users and activity generators.

    This method is considered to be best practice for determining the need for traffic management measures in a fair and transparent manner.

    By following a consistent method of assessing road and traffic-related requests, we can ensure that the City’s limited funding resources are allocated to the highest priority projects.

    Did you know? 

    The City of Stirling is responsible for the management of more than 1,000 km of roads.  If put together end-to-end, they would make a road stretching from Perth to beyond Carnarvon!

  • View a typical timeline of road requests below.

    Timeline

    The City receives a request to assess a traffic or road safety issue

    The request is assessed under the Traffic Management Warrants Policy

    If warrants of the policy are met, a concept proposal is designed upgrade

    The impacted owners and residents are consulted to gauge the level of support for the traffic management

    A two week comment period is provided

    Affected owners and residents advised of the results

    Design plans finalised if approved

    Approved design plans issued for budgeting and scheduling purposes

    Budget approval sought from Council

    Owners and residents notified two weeks before on-site works start

    Works commence

    See more
  • What does the City seek feedback on?

    When a road is assessed as meeting the warrants for a traffic management upgrade, the City develops a concept proposal to address the identified issues. Before finalising the design, the City seeks feedback from the owners and residents of properties located on the section of road that is proposed to be upgraded.

    While feedback from the wider community is considered as part of this process, only the feedback from those owners and residents most impacted by the proposed installation of the traffic calming devices, and who have been contacted by mail, will determine the final outcome.

    If you have received a letter about a proposed traffic management project and would like to provide your input, please complete the submission form located at the bottom of the relevant project page by the specified closing date.

    I don't like a particular type of traffic calming device. Why has the City chosen it?

    Not all traffic calming devices are effective or suitable in every situation. The City makes a decision on the best option after considering all of the factors relevant to the particular road.

    How does the City make a decision on traffic management proposals?

    The City seeks feedback from the owners and occupiers of properties on the section of road that is proposed to be upgraded by sending a notification letter, which contains a validating code.

    If the proposal receives more than 50 per cent support, based on the feedback received, the proposal will be approved. The typical response rate for this type of project is between 10 per cent and 30 per cent. The City considers that those who choose not to respond have no preference about the proposal and are equally satisfied whether it goes ahead or not.

    All submissions from residents and owners of affected properties that contain a valid Unique ID are given equal consideration.

    What happens if I don’t provide feedback?

    The City considers all non-responses as having no objection to either the installation, or non-installation of the proposed works.

    What is the timeframe for completion of the upgrade?

    Design and public consultation is usually undertaken approximately 12–24 months prior to the on-site construction works.

    How does the City determine whether a road should have traffic calming?

    A road that has been reported as having a traffic or road safety issue is assessed under the City’s Traffic Management Warrants Policy. The traffic speed and volume data used in the assessment is obtained from traffic surveys conducted by the City. The crash data is sourced from a database of all crashes reported to the Police in WA. 

    How does the City select the type of traffic calming treatments used?

    The City carries out an extensive assessment of all local road characteristics and constraints to determine the most suitable traffic calming devices to be used. A concept proposal is prepared based on this assessment. 

    Some of the factors considered during the selection process include: volume and type of traffic, drainage, vegetation and existing driveways. 

    There are many different types of traffic calming features, such as vertical displacement devices like speed humps and speed cushions and horizontal displacement devices like chicanes and roundabouts. The effectiveness and suitability of each are assessed according to the individual situation.

    The City will always propose the option determined to be the best solution for the particular road.

    Why doesn’t the City install traffic signs or use speed cameras?

    The installation and management of all regulatory traffic signs in WA, such as speed limit, Stop and Slow Down, is solely under the jurisdiction of Main Roads WA (MRWA). MRWA has strict criteria in place for the installation of these traffic signs. The City will only consider regulatory traffic signs as an option, and apply to MRWA for their installation, if the road is assessed as meeting these criteria.  

    Speed cameras can only be used by WA Police. 

    Given the limited resources of WA Police and the vast local road network, enforcement action is focused on local roads with an 85th percentile speed of 10km/h or greater over the speed limit. 

    The City reports these instances to the Police however, Police presence is not a permanent solution for traffic safety issues.

    How does the City know that this treatment will improve the safety on our road?

    The City has extensive experience in constructing traffic safety projects on its road network. After each project, the City conducts post-implementation traffic surveys to determine the effect of the works on traffic conditions.This experience indicates that the traffic treatments used by the City typically improve safety by reducing the prevailing speeds of the traffic. 

    Will I still be able to enter and exit my driveway?

    Upgrades are designed to retain the same level of access into existing driveways.

    I agree with the need for traffic calming but I do not want a treatment in front of my house.

    With any type of treatment, the City recognises that some residents may feel more impacted than others. Once a road has been identified as warranting traffic calming, the City has an obligation to address this problem for the benefit of the broader community.

    The final decision on traffic calming proposals will be made based on the feedback from all residents and owners of properties impacted by the works, and who have received a notification letter with a validating code.

    How will we be informed about the outcome of the consultation?

    The outcome of the consultation will be communicated to the owners and residents that received the original letter and made a submission.

    What will happen if my verge or driveway is damaged or if it has to be modified as part of this plan?

    All driveways affected by the proposed works will be reinstated according to the City’s standards. Any irrigation affected in the verge area will be adjusted and reinstated to property owner’s requirements.

Notify the City of proposed works

The City of Stirling needs to be made aware of:

  • Any proposed works which affect the City’s residents and businesses
  • Works which require traffic management or involve interference with the City’s roads and assets.

To notify the City of proposed works, please use the General enquiries and feedback form and provide your full name, address, daytime contact number. The City will then provide you with login details to your eLodgement account.

Once you have received login details from the City, click the link below to sign in and apply for a Site Access Authority Permit.

Traffic Management Guidelines can be found here.

Ready to apply for a Site Access Authority permit? Login to your eLodgement account
Click here