Road Photos & Information: Western Australia

High Street & Leach Highway (State Route 7)

Statistics:

• Length: 23 km
• Eastern Terminus: Tonkin Highway (SR4), Cloverdale
• Western Terminus: High Street, Ord Street (SR12) and Hampden Street (SR12), Fremantle
• Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along The Route: Fremantle, Palmyra, Melville, Willagee, Myaree, Winthrop, Booragoon, Bateman, Brentwood, Bull Creek, Rossmoyne, Willetton, Shelley, Riverton, Wilson, Bentley, Welshpool, Kewdale and Cloverdale

Route Numbering:

• Current:  
• Multiplexes: 
• Road Authority Internal Classification: H12 1

General Information:

Leach Highway is an arterial road in Perth's southern and eastern suburbs. It connects the airport and industrial areas in the eastern suburbs with the port in Fremantle. It's dual carriageway for most of its length.

Multiplexes along the route include:

• National Route 1 between Kwinana Fwy at Brentwood to Stock Rd at Willagee (6 km)

History:

• 1980: Construction of an overpass over Albany Highway (SR30) at Bentley. 2
• 2003: Installation of road lighting on Leach Highway between Welshpool and Manning Roads. 3
• 2004: Safety improvement program commences, with construction of bus bays next to Rossmoyne Senior High School, installtion of overhead mast arms at five signalised intersections on the highway (Centenary Avenue, Vahland Avenue, High Road, Karel Avenue and Webb Street), installation of anti-skid intersection treatments at four locations (Abernethy Road, Welshpool Road, Manning Road and Karel Avenue), speed limit changes between Shelley Bridge and Bullcreek Drive, a full sign review and upgrade; and installation of street lighting on the Leach Highway from Tonkin Highway to Abernethy Road and Orrong Road to Welshpool Road. 4
• 04 June 2007: Grade separated interchange between Leach Hwy (SR7) and Orrong Rd (SR8) opened officially. 5
• September 2007: Work commences on the upgrade of the Leach Hwy (SR7) and Stock Rd (NR1) intersection at Melville. 6

Click here for some historical aerial photos on the State Library of Western Australia site

Preview:	Description:
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Rossmoyne approaching High Road (SR27), July 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	High Road Intersection: Corner of Leach Hwy and High Rd (SR27), July 2009. Image © Paul Rands

1 Metropolitan Road Fact Sheet, 31 March 2008
2 Government of Western Australia, Department of Health, WA Health Libraries Network, Aerial photograph of the Leach Highway and the Highway Drive-In, Bentley, 6 Jan. 1979, http://innopac.slwa.wa.gov.au/record=b2459503
3 Government of Western Australia, Ministerial Media Statements, Road Safety, More than 270 sites targeted under State Black Spot, 04 August 2002
4 Government of Western Australia, Ministerial Media Statements, Green light for Leach Highway Improvement Plan, 22 January 2004
5 Government of Western Australia, Planning & Infrastructure, Media Statements, Multi-million dollar interchange dramatically cuts crashes in Welshpool, 04 June 2007
6 Government of Western Australia, Ministerial Media Statements, $1.2million to improve Leach Highway and Stock Road intersection, 21 August 2007