Death sparks road review

Main Roads is investigating making improvements to the Wilson Street and Cooke Point Road intersection in Port Hedland after the death of a motorcyclist last week reignited community concern the intersection is unsafe.

On June 30 about 6.30pm, local man Paul Kilmartin, 65, died when his motorcycle, travelling east along Wilson Street, collided with a Toyota Land Cruiser travelling in the opposite direction, turning right on to Cooke Point Road.

Main Roads records show the intersection had eight crashes between 2010 to 2014. Mr Kilmartin's death was the first fatality.

Earlier last month, a bus was involved in a crash at the intersection while Hedland resident Sarah Brimmel said she had a near-miss with a caravan the day before the fatal accident.

She said she believed the intersection was unsafe and called for the road to be widened or a roundabout installed to slow down traffic.

"We're all taking a risk using that intersection … where else do you pull out on a 90km stretch?" Ms Brimmel said.

"Particularly the worst time I find is between 6pm and 6.30pm when, depending on what time of year it is, you've got the sun coming down and you've also got a high flow of traffic."

Main Roads Pilbara regional manager Gary Player said the intersection underwent upgrades last year as part of the Federal Government's Black Spot Program, which targets locations where crashes occur.

At the time, a left-turn pocket was added on Wilson Street but after the latest accident last week, Main Roads said it was considering short-term solutions to make the area safer.

"As an interim measure we are investigating short-term improvements at the intersection such as improved delineation, lighting and pavement marking," Mr Player said.

"A detailed investigation of the recent accident site will be completed upon receipt of information from police."

The fatal accident, which is being investigated by the Major Crash Unit, was the second this year to cause the road between Port and South Hedland to be blocked for up to five hours.

Mr Player said the planned duplicate road, which would allow road users an alternative route between the two towns in the event of a road blockage, was still in the design phase.

"The detailed design for the section between Gray Street and McGregor Street is expected to be completed late 2015," he said.

Hedland RoadWise Committee member Dean Snashall said the safety of the intersection had been raised at a meeting on Friday and that the committee would monitor the outcome of the police investigation.