The Friends of the Gelorup Corridor have taken their concerns regarding the Bunbury Outer Ring Road's proposed Southern Alignment directly to the State Government.
Travelling to Dumas House in Perth, two members of the community action group met with Minister for Planning and Main Roads WA representatives earlier this month.
Bunbury MLA Don Punch, who organised and also attended the meeting, commended the parties involved for coming together and sharing their concerns.
"The BORR's southern alignment has been tested and reviewed on multiple occasions. We need to respect the expertise of the road engineers, planners, environmentalists and all those professionals who have contributed to those processes," he said.
"I have no doubt the minister [Rita Saffioti], her staff, and the responsible officers at Main Roads are very well aware of the issues of concern for the Friends of the Gelorup Corridor, and that they are considerate of those concerns.
"The alignment is currently undergoing environmental assessment, and it is that assessment that will determine whether or not the alignment is appropriate.
"I am awaiting the outcome of the assessment and will accept the advice of the experts with regard to the route."
Many community members in Gelorup and Stratham are pleading for the State Government to consider an alternate route, according to a FOTGC spokesperson.
"Nowhere else in regional Western Australia does an urban-design, major freeway cut through the middle of a residential community," they said.
"There are alternative established transport corridors which have not been adequately investigated, and may provide fewer social, environmental, and financial impacts. They could well provide the option for future expansion.
"We recognise that there is a need for transport infrastructure projects such as the BORR. However, we believe there's a better way than trying to fit a modern, city-design freeway into a reserve set aside for two-lane rural road projects."
Moving full-steam-ahead with the project, Main Roads is adamant that the current route will deliver numerous long-term benefits for the region.
"The alignment was confirmed by an extensive selection process that considered the comparative social, environmental, and infrastructure implications of constructing the southern section in the original corridor, as reserved in the Greater Bunbury Region Scheme," Main Roads media manager Dean Roberts said.
"The project is currently in procurement and a preferred proponent has been identified for creation of a delivery alliance. The contract will be signed later this month.
"Detailed design for the project will commence while the State and Commonwealth's environmental approvals processes continue."
An eight-week public environmental review period is set to take place later this year, allowing local community members to make public submissions.
