Roe Highway

Roe Highway Western Australia
Map of Perth's central suburbs with Roe Highway highlighted in red
General information
Type	Highway
Length	35 km (22 mi)
Opened	1980s
Route number(s)	State Route 3 (All sections) National Highway 95 (Middle Swan - Midvale) National Highway 94 (Midvale - Hazelmere)
Major junctions
Northeast end	Reid Highway (State Route 3), Middle Swan
	Great Northern Highway (National Highway 95 / National Route 1) Great Eastern Highway (National Highway 94 / State Route 51) Great Eastern Highway Bypass (National Highway 94) Tonkin Highway (State Route 4) Kenwick Link (State Route 30)
Southwest end	Kwinana Freeway (State Route 2), Bibra Lake
Location(s)
Major suburbs	Midvale, Hazelmere, Forrestfield, Kewdale, Welshpool, Canning Vale, Leeming, Jandakot
Highway system
Highways in Australia National Highway • Freeways in Australia Highways in Western Australia

Roe Highway at the Nicholson Road exit

Roe Highway is a 35 kilometre limited access highway and partial freeway in the south-eastern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia, linking Middle Swan in the north-east with Bibra Lake in the south-west. It is primarily allocated State Route 3 and forms half of Perth's outer ring road along with Reid Highway, which it joins onto at its northern terminus.

The highway is one of the key heavy vehicle routes in the Perth metropolitan area. Aside from intersections, the speed limit is 100 km/h for most of its length. 20 kilometres of the highway, in between Kwinana Freeway and Tonkin Highway, is a continuous freeway, with grade-separated interchanges and free traffic flow. The rest of the highway is the standard of Perth's major highways; limited access, with few grade separations and traffic lights.

Roe Highway is multiplexed with National Highway 94 from Great Eastern Highway Bypass to Great Eastern Highway, and also National Highway 95 from Great Eastern Highway to Great Northern Highway.

Route description

Driving from Roe Highway northbound, along a looped interchange ramp, to Great Eastern Highway eastbound

Most junctions on the highway are grade separated diamond interchanges south-west of Tonkin Highway, and at-grade traffic light controlled intersections to the north-east of Tonkin Highway. The exceptions are at: Great Eastern Highway, a modified diamond interchange with a northbound to eastbound loop ramp; Clayton Street and Maida Vale Road, which are grade separated, but with only northbound exit and southbound entry ramps; Berkshire Road (West), a T junction not controlled by traffic lights; Chrisholm Crescent, an uncontrolled left-in/left-out T junction; and the terminus at Kwinana Freeway, a trumpet interchange. There is a diamond interchange at Tonkin Highway, with the free flowing traffic on Tonkin Highway, and traffic light controlled intersections on Roe Highway at the entry and exit ramps.

History

Roe Highway was first proposed in 1955 by Gordon Stephenson as part of what was to become the Metropolitan Region Planning Scheme. The highway was intended to form the southern and eastern sections of a ring route around the Perth metropolitan area.^[1] It is named in honour of John Septimus Roe, who arrived in Western Australia in 1829 and served at the first state Surveyor General of Western Australia for 41 years.^[2]

Work began in 1981, with the first section between the Beechboro-Gosnells Highway and Bushmead Road opening in 1983. The next section, from Bushmead Road to Great Eastern Highway was opened in 1984. The third stage, linking Great Eastern Highway and Great Northern Highway opened on 14 December 1988, at the same time as the Great Eastern Highway Bypass opened. The state Minister for Transport, Bob Pearce was assisted in the opening ceremony by Jason and Rachael Roe, two of the sixth generation of the Roe family to live in Australia and descendants of John Septimus Roe.^[2] The new roads provided a limited access dual carriageway bypass of the historical Guildford and Midland districts that was much needed at the time.

In 1994, the highway was extended 2 km further southwards from Tonkin Highway to Welshpool Road. Following 7 years in hiatus, work recommenced, and in 2001 a new 4 km southwestern extension known as stage 4 was completed from Welshpool Road to the purpose-built Kenwick Link (an Albany Highway bypass built in 1998) - most of which replaced the overtaxed William Street in Beckenham. Work on the 3 km long stage 5 was undertaken simultaneously with stage 4, bringing the highway to Nicholson Road in 2002.

Stage 6, a 5 km extension from Nicholson Road to South Street was completed in 2004, with stage 7 being announced shortly afterwards. The 4.5 km stage 7 extension from South Street to Kwinana Freeway was completed in March 2006, at a cost of A$75m, and represents the highway's current southwestern terminus.^[3]

The 19 km of road built since 1994 between Tonkin Highway and Kwinana Freeway, is to a freeway standard. It may in the future be upgraded to a freeway classification.

In June 2012, the new grade separated interchange opened at the Great Eastern Highway intersection, allowing free flowing traffic on Roe Highway over Great Eastern Highway. The design includes a northbound to eastbound loop ramp to cater for heavy vehicles, and three pedestrian underpasses.^[4]

Stage 8 / Fremantle Eastern Bypass

In the 1950s, Stephenson planned for Roe Highway to continue westwards from its present terminus at Kwinana Freeway towards Fremantle, through South Fremantle along Marine Terrace and then north to connect with Stirling Highway and the Port of Fremantle. As part of the plan, in 1974 Stirling Highway was extended from its then terminus north of the Swan River southwards to Canning Highway.

A narrow 4 km strip of land immediately south of this intersection was proclaimed for further road construction, but as it was not part of the original Stephenson Plan it was occupied by housing built before the time of Stephenson. Over a period of approximately 20 years, Main Roads Western Australia procured most of the land in question for the future road. In 1985, the first kilometre of this road was constructed, which extended Stirling Highway southwards from Canning Highway to Leach Highway (known as High Street west of Carrington Street). The remaining 3 km strip of land south of High Street then became known as the Fremantle Eastern Bypass.

At the southern end of the proposed Fremantle Eastern Bypass, an 8 km east-west road reservation was proclaimed. This became known as Roe Highway stage 8. This land however was lightly built up and much of it remained as urban bushland throughout the late 20th century. The Roe Highway stage 8 reservation was intended to be the final link of a major urban ring-road, as originally envisioned by Stephenson.

However, there were problems with the proposed link, a product of the changes made by governments since Stephenson's original plan. This included the deletion of the original inner Fremantle section and the proclaiming of the Fremantle Eastern Bypass. Some residents of Fremantle strongly objected to the proposed 4-lane dual carriageway Fremantle Eastern Bypass, claiming it would divide the area, damage urban woodland and impact on 3 nearby schools. Also, the proposed Roe Highway stage 8 would cut between North Lake and Bibra Lake, a location considered of high environmental value as a wetlands. The Environmental Protection Authority in its report on the proposed Roe Highway Stage 8 confirmed the high conservation status of the Beeliar Wetlands and the negative impacts a highway would have on the wetlands.

With a change of state governments in 2001, the planned Fremantle Eastern Bypass / Roe Highway stage 8 was cancelled, with a commitment by the government to sell the land reserved for the Fremantle Eastern Bypass. In doing this, the government put forward a '6-point plan' to cope with the anticipated growth of heavy vehicle traffic in and out of the Port of Fremantle, which included plans for better usage of rail, more efficient usage of trucks and a new deepwater container port near Rockingham. As promised, the Fremantle Eastern Bypass land was sold for a total of $17 million. These funds were then spent on a new grade separated interchange at the intersection of Leach Highway and Orrong Road in Welshpool.

During the period for public submissions on the planned cancellation and sell-off, City of Melville residents opposed the plan^[5] as the proposed Fremantle Eastern Bypass / Roe Highway stage 8 would have removed most trucks from Leach Highway, which, although classified as a state highway, travels through a number of residential suburbs. On the other hand the move was generally supported by Fremantle residents including the local MP, and also those concerned by the potential negative impact the proposed road would have on Bibra Lake wetlands.

As part of the funding arrangement for Roe Highway stages 6 and 7, the federal government, which provided some of the funding for those two stages, has stipulated that the Roe Highway stage 8 reservation is to be retained.

Following a change in state governments in September 2008, planning work has now commenced on an extension of the Roe Highway from Kwinana Freeway to Stock Road.^[6] Parliamentary debate^[7] was continuing in 2012 as the state government continued its intention to implement the plan.

Future

Gateway WA

Gateway WA is a $1 billion project that will upgrade the road network around Perth Airport. It is the largest project Main Roads Western Australia has ever undertaken, covering the upgrade of Tonkin, Leach, and Roe Highways, and the construction of four new interchanges. The project is jointly funded by state and federal governments, which are providing $317.5 million and $686.4 million respectively.^[8]

As part of the project, Roe Highway's interchange with Tonkin Highway will be upgraded, noise walls will be erected along Roe Highway in High Wycombe, and a new interchange between Roe Highway and Berkshire Road will be constructed.^[8]

Perth Freight Link

The Perth Freight Link is a $1.6 billion project to improve the road freight link between Kewdale and Fremantle. The project includes a five kilometres (3.1 mi) extension to Roe Highway, as well as upgrading Stock Road, Leach Highway, and High Street to provide a grade-separated route, bypassing fourteen sets of traffic signals.^[9]

The extension will take the highway from it's current terminus at Kwinana Freeway approximately five kilometres (3.1 mi) further west to Stock Road, near Forrest Road in Coolbellup. The proposed route is along or within the vicinity of an existing road reserve in the Perth Metropolitan Region Scheme.^[10]

Interchanges and intersections

LGA	Location	km	mi	Destinations	Notes
Swan	Middle Swan	0	0	Great Northern Highway (National Highway 95 north / National Route 1 / Tourist Drive 203) – Midland, Moora, Geraldton, Meekatharra	Highway terminus: continues west as Reid Highway (State Route 3). National Highway 95 concurrency terminus: continues north. Traffic light controlled intersection
	Middle Swan, Stratton	1.4	0.9	Toodyay Road (State Route 50) – Midland, Toodyay, Swan District Hospital	Traffic light controlled intersection
Swan, Mundaring	Midvale	3.4	2.1	Morrison Road – Midland, Swan View	Traffic light controlled intersection
		4.3	2.7	Great Eastern Highway (National Highway 94 east / State Route 51 west) – Midland, Northam, Kalgoorlie	Modified diamond interchange with northbound to eastbound loop ramp. National Highway 95 terminus. National Highway 94 concurrency terminus: continues east.
Swan	Bellevue	5.1	3.2	Clayton Street – Bellevue, Midland	Northbound exit and southbound entry only
	Hazelmere	7.1	4.4	Great Eastern Highway Bypass – Perth City, Perth Airport	National Highway 94 concurrency terminus: continues west; Traffic light controlled T junction
Kalamunda	High Wycombe, Maida Vale	9.9	6.2	Kalamunda Road (State Route 41) – High Wycombe, Kalamunda	Traffic light controlled intersection
		11.2	7.0	Maida Vale Road – High Wycombe, Maida Vale	Northbound exit and southbound entry only
	Forrestfield	13.6– 13.7	8.5– 8.5	Berkshire Road westbound / Berkshire Road eastbound – Forrestfield	Staggered T junctions, Berkshire Road eastbound traffic light controlled
	Kewdale, Forrestfield, Wattle Grove	16.0– 16.2	9.9– 10.1	Tonkin Highway (State Route 4) – Armadale, Kewdale, Joondalup, Perth Airport	Diamond interchange (Tonkin Highway free flowing), with traffic lights at each intersection
	Kewdale	16.8	10.4	Chisholm Crescent – Kewdale	Temporary north-eastbound access via LILO T junction
Gosnells	East Cannington, Welshpool	18.1	11.2	Orrong Road north-westbound (State Route 8) / Welshpool Road East south-eastbound (State Route 8) – Lesmurdie, Welshpool, Perth City
	Beckenham	22.3	13.9	Kenwick Link (State Route 30) – Armadale, Cannington, Perth City
	Beckenham, Kenwick, Langford, Thornlie	22.9– 23.0	14.2– 14.3	Djarlgarra Bridge (over Canning River)
Gosnells, Canning	Lynwood, Langford, Thornlie, Canning Vale	25.6	15.9	Nicholson Road (State Route 31) – Cannington, Canning Vale
Canning	Lynwood, Willetton	28.2	17.5	Willeri Drive – Canning Vale, Riverton
	Leeming	30.2	18.8	South Street (State Route 13) – Armadale, Bull Creek, Canning Vale
Cockburn	Jandakot	33.3	20.7	Karel Avenue – Leeming, Jandakot, Jandakot Airport	Dogbone interchange
	Bibra Lake, Jandakot, North Lake	34.2– 34.8	21.3– 21.6	Kwinana Freeway (State Route 2) – Mandurah, Fremantle, Perth City	Highway terminus: trumpet interchange
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

See also

• Highways in Australia
• Highways in Western Australia
• Freeways in Australia
• Freeways in Western Australia

References

• Hepburn, J.A. & Stephenson, G. 1955, Plan for the metropolitan region, Perth and Fremantle, Western Australia, 1955: a report prepared for the Government of Western Australia, Government Printing Office, Perth.
• Edmonds, Leigh (1997). The vital link: a history of Main Roads Western Australia 1926-1996. Nedlands, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. ISBN 1-875560-87-4. 
• Main Roads WA
• The Roe7 Project
• Skyview WA - Department of Land Information, Western Australia

Road infrastructure in Perth Freeways Graham Farmer Freeway Kwinana Freeway Mitchell Freeway Highways Albany Highway Brookton Highway Canning Highway Great Eastern Highway (Bypass) Great Northern Highway Leach Highway Reid Highway Roe Highway South Western Highway Stirling Highway Tonkin Highway West Coast Highway Bridges Barrack Street Bridge Canning Bridge The Causeway Garratt Road Bridge Horseshoe Bridge Mount Henry Bridge Narrows Bridge Redcliffe Bridge Riverton Bridge Stirling Bridge Seventh Avenue Bridge Transport in Perth

Road infrastructure in Western Australia Freeways Graham Farmer Freeway Kwinana Freeway Mitchell Freeway Metropolitan highways Albany Highway Canning Highway Great Eastern Highway (Bypass) Leach Highway Reid Highway Roe Highway Stirling Highway Tonkin Highway Wanneroo Road West Coast Highway Highways and major roads Albany Highway Brand Highway Brockman Highway Brookton Highway Bussell Highway Coalfields Road Coolgardie–Esperance Highway Dampier Highway Derby Highway Eyre Highway Forrest Highway Geraldton–Mount Magnet Road Goldfields Highway Great Eastern Highway Great Northern Highway Great Southern Highway Indian Ocean Drive Mandjoogoordap Drive Muirs Highway North West Coastal Highway Old Coast Road South Coast Highway South Western Highway Vasse Highway Victoria Highway Outback tracks Anne Beadell Highway Buntine Highway Canning Stock Route Cape Leveque Road Connie Sue Highway Duncan Road Gary Highway Gary Junction Road Gibb River Road Great Central Road Gunbarrel Highway Kalumburu Road Sandy Blight Junction Road Talawana Track Tanami Road

Road routes in Western Australia National Highway 94 National Highway 95 State Route 3 Great Eastern Highway Great Eastern Highway Bypass Roe Highway Great Eastern Highway Coolgardie–Esperance Highway Great Northern Highway Roe Highway Reid Highway Roe Highway National Highways 1 94 95 National Routes 1 Alt 94 State Routes 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 12 13 14 18 19 20 21 22 26 27 30 Alt 30 31 36 40 41 50 51 52 53 55 56 60 61 64 65 66 71 72 75 76 77 78 81 82 83 84 85 87 102 104 107 115 116 120 123 136 138 Tourist Drives 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 250 251 252 254 255 256 257 258 259 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 List of road routes in Western Australia

Route map: Bing