View source for Welshpool Road

{{Short description|Road in Perth, Western Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=March 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox Australian road 
| type         = road
| road_name    = Welshpool Road
| road_name2   = Welshpool Road East 
| state        = wa
| image        = OIC welshpool welshpool road.jpg
| caption      = East bound view along Welshpool Road in [[Welshpool, Western Australia|Welshpool]]
| length       = 15
| route        = {{AUshield|S|8}} [[List of road routes in Perth, Western Australia#8|State Route 8]] <small>(Welshpool Road East)</small>
| former       = {{AUshield|S|35}} [[List of road routes in Perth, Western Australia#35|State Route 35]] <small>(entire road)</small>
| split        = yes
| section1     = Welshpool Road
| direction_a1 = West
| end_a1       = {{AUshield|S|30}} [[Shepperton Road]] <small>(State Route&nbsp;30), [[St James, Western Australia|St James]]</small>
| exits1       = {{Plainlist|
* {{AUshield|S|30}} [[Albany Highway]] <small>(State Route&nbsp;30)</small>
* {{AUshield|S|7}} [[Leach Highway]] <small>(State Route&nbsp;7)</small>
* Kewdale Road}}
| direction_b1 = East
| end_b1       = William Street, <small>[[Welshpool, Western Australia|Welshpool]]</small>
| section2     = Welshpool Road East
| direction_a2 = West
| end_a2       = {{AUshield|S|3}} [[Roe Highway]] <small>(State Route&nbsp;3), [[Welshpool, Western Australia|Welshpool]]</small>
| exits2       = {{Plainlist|
* {{AUshield|S|4}} [[Tonkin Highway]] <small>(State Route&nbsp;4)</small>
* Lesmurdie Road}}
| direction_b2 = East
| end_b2       = {{AUshield|S|41}} Canning Road <small>(State Route&nbsp;41), [[Carmel, Western Australia|Carmel]]</small>
| through      = [[Queens Park, Western Australia|Queens Park]], [[Wattle Grove, Western Australia|Wattle Grove]], [[Lesmurdie]]}}

'''Welshpool Road''' is a major arterial road running through the metropolitan area of [[Perth]], Western Australia. Although the road is now split in two, having had its western and eastern sections disconnected due to the extension of [[Roe Highway]], it remains Welshpool's second most important road (after [[Orrong Road]]), and the highest quality access road for the [[Darling Scarp]].

Welshpool Road East is part of  [[List of road routes in Perth, Western Australia#8|State Route&nbsp;8]],<ref>{{cite book|title=Distance book|year=2013|publisher=[[Main Roads Western Australia]]|isbn=978-0-7309-7657-8|pages=4–5|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180412194954/https://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/Documents/distancebook_edition13_Jan2017.RCN-D17%5E2361294.PDF|edition=13}}</ref> while the entire road was previously allocated [[List of road routes in Perth, Western Australia#35|State Route&nbsp;35]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080727055305/http://www2.mainroads.wa.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/FA8823AD-4F7D-49BE-9FED-E0E5217412CA/1003/Route_No_System91.pdf Route Numbering System] Main Roads Western Australia</ref>

==Route description==
===Welshpool Road===
Welshpool Road west of Roe Highway is {{cvt|5.5|km}} long, and unlike Welshpool Road East, did not have a West [[suffix]] added after the road's disconnection. The road is typical of those major in the Welshpool Area; although of a reasonable quality, being a 4-lane single or dual carriageway it contains only a handful of traffic lights, is choked by traffic in peak hour, has industrial business dotting the road, and has many minor roads which have no form of control, [[Yield sign|give way]] and [[stop sign]]s excepted.

Welshpool Road begins as an extension of a west-east section of [[Albany Highway]] (Albany Highway continues to the south of the intersection). Continuing through Welshpool it meets the [[Leach Highway]] soon after. Leach Highway marks the most dangerous intersection for both Welshpool Road and Leach Highway; the intersection is also one of Perth's busiest.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20201112185326/https://www.buildingfortomorrow.wa.gov.au/projects/leach-highway-and-welshpool-road/ Leach Highway & Welshpool Intersection Upgrade] [[Government of Western Australia]]</ref> It then meets Kewdale Road, passing through outer Welshpool after this point. The final controlled intersection for the road is McDowell Street. McDowell Street extends north, meets Orrong Road, and then continues into neighbouring Kewdale. Although of importance for barely {{cvt|300|m}}, McDowell Street distributes traffic onto Orrong Road, allowing motorists to continue their journey along Welshpool Road East.

For those who continue along Welshpool Road, the road sharply turns south after {{cvt|500|m}}, and continues as William Street.

====Junctions====
{{AUSinttop |noLGA=no
|location_ref=<ref>{{google maps |url=https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/1037+Albany+Hwy,+St+James+WA+6102/-32.0016856,115.9681298/@-31.9946289,115.9053484,13z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m9!4m8!1m5!1m1!1s0x2a32bc708a7e3891:0x3f1f82fe68dae48f!2m2!1d115.9126058!2d-31.9943138!1m0!3e0?hl=en |title=Welshpool Road |accessdate=31 January 2017}}</ref>
}}
{{AUS-WAint
|LGA=[[Town of Victoria Park|Victoria Park]]–[[City of Canning|Canning]] boundary
|location_special=[[East Victoria Park, Western Australia|East Victoria Park]]–[[St James, Western Australia|St James]] boundary
|km=0
|road= {{AUshield|S|30}} Shepperton Road/[[Albany Highway]] (State Route&nbsp;30)
| notes=Traffic light intersection; Welshpool Road continues as Albany Highway west of this point
}}
{{AUS-WAint
|LGAC=Canning
|LGAspan=18
|location=Welshpool
|lspan=10
|road= Sevenoaks Street
|notes=Traffic light intersection
|km=0.9
|uspan=2
}}
{{AUS-WAint
|road=Rutland Avenue & Railway Parade
|LGA=|location=|type=incomplete
|notes=Left in/left out only (no straight across or right turns)
|km=none
}}
{{AUS-WAint
|LGA=|location=|km=1.0
| road= Adams Drive
|notes=}}
{{AUS-WAint
|LGA=|location=|km=1.1
| road= Tomlinson Road
|notes=}}
{{AUS-WAint
|LGA=|location=|km=1.4
| road= John Street
|notes=}}
{{AUS-WAint
|LGA=|location=|km=1.6
|road= {{AUshield|S|7}} [[Leach Highway]] (State Route&nbsp;7)
| notes=Traffic light intersection
}}
{{AUS-WAint
|km=1.8
| road= Ewing Street
|LGA=|location=|location_special=
|notes=}}
{{AUS-WAint
|km=1.9
| road=  Moriarty Road
|LGA=|location=|location_special=
|notes=}}
{{AUS-WAint
|km=2.1
| road= Radium Street North
|LGA=|location=|location_special=
|notes=}}
{{AUS-WAint
|km=2.3
| road= Pilbara Street
|LGA=|location=|location_special=
|notes=}}
{{AUS-WAint
|km=2.6
| road= Mills Street
|notes=
|LGA=|location=|location_special= [[Welshpool, Western Australia|Welshpool]] & [[Queens Park, Western Australia|Queens Park]]
|lspan=7
}}
{{AUS-WAint
|km=3.0
| road= Kewdale Road/Hamilton Street
|LGA=|location=| type=incomplete
| notes=Traffic lights intersection<br>Left turn only from Hamilton Street, no entry to Hamilton Street except for Welshpool Road westbound
}}
{{AUS-WAint
|km=3.3
| road=  Treasure Road
|notes=
|LGA=|location=|location_special= 
}}
{{AUS-WAint
|km=3.6
| road= George Street
|notes=
|LGA=|location=|location_special= 
}}
{{AUS-WAint
| road= Wharf Street
|LGA=|location=|km=4.0
|notes=
}}
{{AUS-WAint
| road= Murray Road South
|LGA=|location=|km=4.2
|notes=
}}
{{AUS-WAint
| road= McDowell Street
|LGA=|location=|km=4.8
| notes=Traffic light intersection
}}
{{AUS-WAint
|km=5.4
| road= Station Street
|notes=Welshpool Road continues as William Street east of this point
|LGA=|location= East Cannington
}}
{{Jctbtm |keys=incomplete}}

===Welshpool Road East===
Welshpool Road East (9.5&nbsp;km long) had an East [[suffix]] added after the road's disconnection. At a similar quality to Welshpool Road, its 4-lane section is an entire dual carriageway; it changes to a 2 to 3 lane single carriageway after climbing most of the [[Darling Scarp]], however. With only 4 traffic lights in total (two of those at Roe Highway's diamond interchange), traffic problems are relatively minor, the only congestion being towards Roe Highway westbound.

Allocated State Route 8, Welshpool Road East starts as an extension of Orrong Road. Soon after meeting Roe Highway, it meets Hale Road. Hale Road serves as the main road for [[Forrestfield]], eventually passing through a rural [[Maida Vale, Western Australia|Maida Vale]] and climbing the Darling Scarp. Welshpool Road then passes through [[Wattle Grove, Western Australia|Wattle Grove]], a mostly rural foothill suburb; however, this section is suburban. It then meets Tonkin Highway; this marks both State Route 8 and Welshpool Road's final traffic light and departure from the [[Swan Coastal Plain]].

After this point, the scenery transitions to semi-rural; however, the quality of the road remains high. After about {{cvt|2|km}}, the road starts to climb the Darling Scarp, varying from 6- to 10-degree angle of slope. A short time after this, the median which was previously as wide as 4 lanes thins out dramatically, and becomes negligible. The road continues to climb quite steeply; similar to [[Great Eastern Highway]] the climb is constant; [[Kalamunda Road]]'s climb of the escarpment is undulating. Welshpool Road East then meets Lesmurdie Road, and finally changes to a 2-lane single carriageway. After this point, westbound traffic is given two overtaking lanes that last for about {{cvt|750|m}} each. Finishing its climb in [[Carmel, Western Australia|Carmel]], Welshpool Road terminates into Canning Road.

====Junctions====

{{AUSinttop |noLGA=no
|location_ref=<ref>{{google maps |title=Welshpool Road East |accessdate=31 January 2017 |url=https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/-32.0033688,115.9744026/-32.0190482,116.0739662/@-32.0118226,115.9541414,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!4m1!3e0?hl=en
}}</ref>
}}
{{AUS-WAint
|LGAC=Canning
|km=0
|road= {{AUshield|S|3}} [[Roe Highway]] State Route&nbsp;3 
|notes=Diamond interchange for Roe Highway, Welshpool Road East continues as Orrong Road west of this point
|location_special= [[Welshpool, Western Australia|Welshpool]] & [[East Cannington]]
}}
{{AUS-WAint
|LGAC=Kalamunda
|LGAspan=9
|type=incomplete
|road= Hale Road northeast <br> Logistics Boulevard southwest
|km=0.6
|notes=Traffic light intersection. Traffic exiting Logistics Boulevard can only turn left onto Welshpool Road 
|location=Wattle Grove
|lspan=4
}}
{{AUS-WAint
|road= {{AUshield|S|4}} [[Tonkin Highway]] State Route&nbsp;4
|notes=Traffic light intersection
|km=2.2
}}
{{AUS-WAint
|road= Crystal Brook Road
|km=2.7
}}
{{AUS-WAint
|km=3.5
|road=Lewis Road
}}
{{AUS-WAint
|km=6.2
|road= Crystal Brook Road
|location=Lesmurdie
|lspan=3
}}
{{AUS-WAint
| road= Gladys Road
| km=6.7
}}
{{AUS-WAint
| 
| road=Lesmurdie Road
| km=7.1
}}
{{AUS-WAint
| 
|road= Pomeroy Road
|location_special= [[Lesmurdie]] & [[Carmel, Western Australia|Carmel]]
|km=8.2
}}
{{AUS-WAint
|road= {{AUshield|S|41}} State Route&nbsp;41 Canning Road
|notes=Eastern terminus at T-junction
|location=Carmel
|km=10.2
}}
{{Jctbtm |keys=incomplete}}

==History==
[[File:Welshpool rd Armadale line gn-11.jpg|thumb|Former [[South Western Railway, Western Australia|South Western Railway]] [[level crossing]] in November 2023]]
Roe Highway's extension beyond Welshpool Road in 2002 represented the biggest change to Perth's transport infrastructure since the [[Graham Farmer Freeway]] was opened in 2000. Welshpool Road, Orrong Road and William Street were the 3 major roads affected due to the extension.

Before Roe Highway's extension in 2002, the highway's north and southbound lanes separated, leaving a {{cvt|250|m}} gap between them once they met Welshpool Road. After this, they both formed one lane and came back together, continuing as William Street. Orrong Road would terminate into Welshpool Road in the form of a T-junction.

Due to the extension of Roe Highway, major changes were made. Firstly, Welshpool Road was disconnected; William Street was disconnected from Roe Highway, and Orrong Road was extended to meet Roe Highway in the form of a [[diamond interchange]]. Orrong Road now continues as Welshpool Road East. Welshpool Road West now continues as William Street.

Until 2024, Welshpool Road crossed the [[South Western Railway, Western Australia|South Western Railway]] via a [[level crossing]]. As part of the [[Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal Project]], a bridge was built to carry the railway line over the road.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20201029221337/https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2020/06/Bye-bye-boom-gates-transformational-plan- Bye, bye boom gates - transformational plan released for Armadale Line] Government of Western Australia 16 June 2020</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20250426111041/https://www.bmdgroup.global/projects/metronet-victoria-park-canning-level-crossing-removal-project Metronet: Victoria Park-Canning level crossing removal project] [[BMD Group]]</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20250414133442/https://www.metronet.wa.gov.au/projects/victoria-park-canning-level-crossing-removal/works#welshpool-area Welshpool Area] [[Metronet (Western Australia)|Metronet]]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{refbegin}}
*[[UBD Street Directory]] - 46th & 49th editions
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline}}

{{WA road routes
|route=State Route 8
|shield={{AUshield|S|8}}
|roads=
*[[Graham Farmer Freeway]]
*Orrong Road
*'''Welshpool Road East'''}}
{{Attached KML|display=inline,title}}

[[Category:Roads in Perth, Western Australia]]