Road Photos & Information: Western Australia: Stirling Highway, Mounts Bay Road, Riverside Drive & Causeway (State Route 5)

Road Photos & Information: Western Australia

Stirling Highway, Mounts Bay Road, Riverside Drive & Causeway (State Route 5)

Statistics:

Length: 22 km
Western Terminus: Cnr Stirling Hwy (SR5) and High St (SR7) in Fremantle
Eastern Terminus: Corner of Causeway (SR5), Great Eastern Hwy (NR1 / NH94), Shepperton Rd (SR30), Albany Hwy and Canning Hwy (NR1 / SR6), East Perth
Suburbs, Towns & Localities along route: Fremantle, East Fremantle, North Fremantle, Mosman Park, Cottesloe, Peppermint Grove, Claremont, Karrakatta, Nedlands, Crawley, Northbridge, East Perth and Burswood

Route Numbering:

Current:

General Information:

The route consists of several roads connected together to form SR5. The Stirling Hwy section is mostly multi-laned and has a long history (see below) passing through some of Perth's older suburbs. It's named after former WA premier, Sir Chariles Court. SR5 is incorporated into the large interchange known as the Narrows Interchange ocated in Northbridge, just on the western edge of the Perth CBD.

Mounts Bay Road is named after Mounts Bay, the body of water in the Swan River Estuary that was infilled for the construction of the Narrows Interchange, and the road follows the boundary of the bay at the Narrows. It follows the Swan River estuary and forms the southern and southeastern boundary for Kings Park.

Riverside Drive skirts around the southwestern edge of the Perth CBD and forms part of SR5, and consists of a single carriageway alignment of 4 lanes. It acts as a bypass of the CBD from the Narrows Interchange to the Causeway.

Also included in the route is The Causeway. The Causeway is the name of two bridges which span the Swan River in Western Australia at the eastern end of Perth Water. They link the City of Perth and Town of Victoria Park. The two bridges are joined at Heirisson Island, which is approximately midway across the river, to make a continuous crossing. The Causeway crossing actually dates back to the mid 1800s.

History:

The Stirling Hwy section of SR5, began its life as a rough track between Perth and Fremantle in the 1800s. Convicts, transported from the United Kingdom, were put to work on the Perth to Fremantle track and in 1858 the road was completed. In 1872 the road was declared a public highway.*

1930: the Perth-Fremantle Road became Stirling Highway, after the first Governor of Western Australia, Admiral Sir James Stirling
1934: upgrade to then modern highway standard: Broadway, Nedlands to Weld Street, Nedlands
1935: upgrade to then modern highway standard: Weld Street, Nedlands to Bay View Terrace, Claremont
1936: upgrade to then modern highway standard: Bay View Terrace, Claremont to Anstey Street, Claremont
1937: upgrade to then modern highway standard: Anstey Street, Claremont to Johnston Street, Peppermint Grove
1938: upgrade to then modern highway standard: Johnston Street, Peppermint Grove to Leighton Crossing, North Fremantle
1939: upgrade to then modern highway standard: Leighton Crossing, North Fremantle to Fremantle, including the Fremantle Traffic Bridge
1948: a major public works program commenced to rebuild the Causeway. This project gave employment to many recently returned World War II veterans
1951: the roundabouts that were once located at either end were modeled and shown at an exhibition in Perth Town Hall by the National Safety Council of WA
1974: opening a new crossing over the Swan River located slightly to the east of the Fremantle Traffic Bridge. Named the Stirling Bridge, it was opened by then Premier of Western Australia, Sir Charles Court. The highway was rerouted to the new bridge, and terminated at Canning Hwy (SR6)
1980s: rebuilding of the approach roads onto the bridges of the Causeway
26 November 1985: opening of an extension further south from Canning Highway to High Street (SR7) **

East Perth to Fremantle		Fremantle to East Perth
Preview:	Description:	Preview:	Description:
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on the Canning Hwy at Burswood approaching the interchange with Shepperton Road (SR30) and The Causeway (SR5). December 2007. Image © Paul Rands		Black AD Sign: Old black advance directional sign on the corner of the Stirling Hwy and Boreham St in Cottesloe, as you approach the Eric St (SR71) intersection. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Exit Gore: Looking southwest at Burswood as you exit Canning Hwy, to connect with Shepperton Rd and The Causeway, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands		Black ID Sign: Old black intersection directional sign on the corner of the Stirling Hwy and Eric St in Cottesloe. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection Directional Sign: Looking southwest on the corner of Shepperton Rd (SR30) and The Causeway (SR5) at Burswood, this is the terminus for the 2 routes. December 2007. Image © Paul Rands		Black ID Sign: Old black intersection directional sign on the corner of the Stirling Hwy and Eric St in Cottesloe. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	AD Sign: Advance directional sign at the Canning Hwy (SR6 / NR1) interchange at Burswood, August 2008. Image © Paul Rands		Old Advance Directional Signs: Black and Freeway Green ID sign assembly approaching the Point Lewis Rotary near Kings Park. February 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Crossing The Swan River: Heading northwest as you cross the Swan River via the Causeway, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands		Point Lewis Rotary: Old freeway green and black ID signs at the junction of Mounts Bay Road and Riverside Drive in Perth, near Kings Park. February 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: Sign explaining the lane allocations after the Causeway. Looking northwest on Heirisson Island at Burswood. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: Diagrammatic AD sign on the interchange with Mitchell Fwy as it meets Riverside Drive in Perth. February 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Crossing The Swan River: Heading northwest as you cross the Swan River via the Causeway in East Perth, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands		Barrack Street Intersection: Eastbound on Riverside Dr as you approach Barrack St (SR53). February 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Corner of Riverside Dr & Adelaide Tce: Looking northwest in East Perth, at the end of the Causeway at the intersection with Riverside Drive (SR5) and Adelaide Terrace, August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Trailblazer Assembly: Riverside Drive approaching Plain Street (SR65), December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection Directional Sign: Black & Freeway Green ID sign with SR5 topknot facing Plain Street (SR65) traffic in Perth. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection Directional Sign: Freeway Green ID sign with SR5 topknot facing Victoria Avenue traffic in Perth. February 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental AD Sign: Supplementary advance directional sign on Riverside Dr in Perth, confirming the continuation of SR5, August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: Advance directional sign for Narrows Interchange and the SR2 Kwinana and Mitchell Freeways, Perth on Riverside Drive, August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental AD Sign: Supplemental advance directional sign approaching the Barrack Street intersection on Riverside Drive in Perth. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Approaching Barrack Street: Heading northwest on Riverside Dr in Perth approaching Barrack Street, August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: Lane allocation sign for SR2 and SR5 at Perth near William Street. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	William Street: Looking at the William Street intersection in Perth, August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental Directional Sign: Signage near the William Street intersection on the Narrows Interchange confirming the route of SR5, August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign on the SR2 (Kwinana Fwy) / SR5 split in Perth. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Kwinana Freeway: Mounts Bay Road (SR5) as it passes under the Kwinana Fwy (SR2) in Perth. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Black ID Sign: Westbound as Riverside Drive meets Mounts Bay Road alongside Kings Park at the Point Lewis Rotary. February 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Mounts Bay Road: Typical conditions as you travel westbound on Mounts Bay Road. February 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Winthrop Avenue: Westbound on Mounts Bay Road approaching Winthrop Avenue at Crawley. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Stirling Hwy: Looking southwest on Stirling Highway as it makes its way through Nedlands. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Dalkeith Road Intersection: Stirling Highway as you approach Dalkeith Road in Nedlands, August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Entering Claremont: Stirling Hwy at the Leura Av junction as you enter Claremont. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Peppermint Grove: Stirling Hwy as you approach Leake Street in Peppermint Grove. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Mosman Park: Stirling Highway as it passes through the shopping precinct in Mosman Park near Glyde Street. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: Southbound AD sign approaching the Queen Victoria Street (SR12) junction in North Fremantle. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Queen Victoria Street Intersection: Looking southbound at the Queen Victoria St (SR12) junction in North Fremantle. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Stirling Bridge: Crossing the Swan River via the Stirling Bridge at North Fremantle. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Stirling Bridge: Crossing the Swan River via the Stirling Bridge at North Fremantle. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Canning Highway: Corner of Stirling Hwy (SR5) and Canning Hwy (SR6) at East Fremantle. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	End SR5: Southwestern terminus of State Route 5 - High Street in East Fremantle. August 2008. Image © Paul Rands

* Information courtesy of the Town of Cottesloe
** Information courtesy of Main Roads Western Australia

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