Case Study - More than a Road

Executive Summary

Orrong Road is a major four-lane corridor close to capacity, handling 50,000-65,000 vehicles daily. It links Perth with outer metro areas and is vital for local roads, businesses, and residents. Congestion along Orrong Road/Grahm Framer Freeway costs the WA economy $64.7 million per year in lost productivity and is expected to increase. Previous consultation in 2019, focused on a lowered expressway, showed some support but the survey sample was small and lacked alternative options. A 2023 consultation for a similar road faced strong opposition, prompting Main Roads WA to enhance its engagement approach. In 2024, Aha! Consulting led a robust engagement program alongside Arup Jacobs Joint Venture (AJJV), moving beyond traditional methods and including a community deliberative panel. This approach, new to this context, required rapid assessment of panel options and new ways to assess project feasibility.

Approach

An engagement strategy was implemented from September 2024 to April 2025:

Broad Engagement

• Online platforms: project website (5,165 views), interactive page (1,921 visitors), survey (705 responses), social media (reach 30,422), online ideas board and map (35 responses)

• In-person: pop-up stalls (170 visitors), letterbox drop (15,308 homes), posters at 10 venues

• Regular updates: monthly newsletters (reach 1,780), direct phone contact with 70 businesses

Targeted Stakeholder Engagement

• July 2024 to May 2025: regular briefings with key stakeholders and four stakeholder workshops (average 20 participants per workshop) – representatives from local government, state government and industry bodies.

  
  

Deliberative Panel

• November 2024 to March 2025: 50 randomly, demographically representative panellists

• The panel was given this Remit:

  
  

  “Provide advice and rationale for the future development of the Orrong Road transport corridor that;

  o Facilitates optimal movement of local and regional people and businesses

  o Delivers desirable social, economic, environmental outcomes

  o Contributes to future integrated land use planning

  o And is considered financially feasible.

  Advice will need to be responsive to relevant State & Local Planning Policies and documents.”

  
  

• 4 full-day sessions, site tour, presentations, 3D printed models, dedicated online portal, continuous support from project team

• Panel recommendations achieved 99% consensus

Deliberative panels create robust, defensible recommendations by building a representative sample, enabling deep deliberation with adequate information, and requiring strong consensus for proposals. This method avoids overrepresentation by motivated individuals common in broader engagement.

Challenges

Some challenges faced:

• Giving community representatives responsibility for design recommendations

• Keeping the panel engaged for five months; managed with online resources and regular contact

• Caretaker period communication restrictions; addressed with consistent stakeholder updates

• Aligning panel success criteria with complex technical requirements; simplified for clarity

• Fast-tracking the design process within three months; required additional resourcing and commitment

• Ensuring informed decisions; facilitated with expert presentations and independent facilitation

  
  

Participant Feedback

Panel Members

• Increased trust in Main Roads WA, with positive sentiment towards their genuine intent (83%pre-panel, 96% post-panel)

• Greater understanding of road planning: high/very high increased from 11% to 32% post-panel

• All felt facilitation supported decision-making

• All agreed group made meaningful recommendations

• Appreciation for open, respectful discussions and expert input

• Process was seen as data-driven, credible, and genuine

  
  

Stakeholders

• 94% agreed or strongly agreed Main Roads WA was genuine in engagement

• 94% felt workshops enabled collaborative decision-making

Learnings

Key learnings included:

• Early, ongoing engagement builds trust and support

• Stakeholder collaboration aligns outcomes and enhances efficiency

• Reaching community at local venues and through varied channels captures diverse voices

• Transparent and responsive communication is crucial

• Caretaker period gaps reduced panel continuity but allowed the design team to refine options

• Consistent contact keeps panel engaged during session breaks

• Collaborative report writing is effective, but time must be allocated

• Trust and transparency between project partners is vital

Conclusion

Main Roads WA's engagement approach for Orrong Connect set a new benchmark in early project planning, delivering deep insights into user and resident priorities. World-class outcomes were supported through advocacy and stakeholder collaboration. The robust process, including a representative deliberative panel, enhanced social licence and support for complex transport

projects. Feedback to date affirms the project's success in genuine engagement and informed decision-making.