albany highway albany highway links western_australia capital city perth oldest settlement albany state south coast kilometre long highway travels southern regions designated state route length outside perth highway sealed single regular overtaking lanes areas albany highway causeway river crossing connects perth central business district highway heads south east perth metropolitan region bypassed continues south eastwards albany intersects major roads perth including south western highways rural section albany highway connects important regional roads towns route including road prior european settlement indigenous people considerable network tracks including trade route areas known perth albany construction road perth albany began soon naming albany progress slow miles completed monthly mail route operated 1840s trouble journey new contractor required year mail route introduction convict labour allowed road direct route fully constructed rise motor vehicle era early 20th century saw road gain prominence road sealed congestion perth end road 1930s led parallel roads street road upgraded provide bypasses entire road renamed october recognition importance arterial traffic route late 1970s million years spent repairing albany highway experience saw develop program prevent costly road reconstruction 1990s upgrading portions length albany highway including widening sections dual perth construction link bypass route description albany highway causeway river crossing connects perth central business district highway heads south east perth metropolitan region continues southern regions albany south coast western_australia albany highway generally lane single road additional lanes dual sections perth albany highway allocated state route bypassed sections perth southernmost portion albany bypassed allocated short length concurrently allocated state route albany highway carries sections tourist drive tourist drive monitors traffic volume state road network including locations albany highway financial year recorded traffic volumes ranged vehicles weekday perth highest percentage heavy traffic south road reports commissioned gave majority highway star safety rating approximately kilometre long section south east rated star level overall highway network generally rated star star received star rating perth perth albany highway north western terminus interchange causeway metres road way interchange connecting causeway canning highway direct access roads kilometres highway lane way high street serving town centre continuing south east nearby lane road serves bypass carrying traffic state route roads converge intersection road kilometres albany highway serves arterial route perth south eastern suburbs varying single dual lane capacity highway dominated commercial shopping numerous sets traffic lights section albany highway allocated state route follows bypass albany highway folded diamond interchange continues south seven kilometres past commercial residential properties highway junction western terminus boundary south highway intersects eastern end road northern end regional highway albany highway proceeds east south suburb mount road continues south east signs human activity sparse highway crosses scenery transitions native forest south kilometres transitions farming activities livestock kilometres highway encounters towns williams mount highway kilometres apart exist service towns region approximately kilometres east great southern highway including closer albany large tracts blue plantations kilometres road south eastern terminus passes albany airport highway passes suburban areas intersecting intersection metres large way roundabout roundabout southern terminus state route connects highway continues east final half kilometre stretch takes highway south east centre albany history background prior european settlement indigenous people considerable network tracks territory south west western_australia track trade route linked modern day perth area known albany track followed similar alignment modern day albany highway december new_south_wales colonial government brig command major arrived king george sound establish military garrison january instructed colonial secretary raised fired troops formally territory assertion official claim british possession continent australia march colony colony free settlement albany officially named governor beginning time political authority passed colony construction road albany perth began soon miles completed slow progress settlers albany petitioned england supply work road time government perth derided proposal western_australia colony surveying initial routes october november governor surveyor general travelled overland perth albany focus journey route south comprehensive survey undertaken july september assistant started albany end smith concurrently commenced perth months later february accompanied group trip perth days travelling time mount williams group led included lieutenant armstrong soldiers 21st albany settlers native handsome april bridges built near albany governor ventured albany official visit travelling williams assistant led large group albany settlers perth joseph wells whilst year sheep cattle albany york perth monthly mail route set june travelling albany perth williams following year service commenced tough conditions mail route saw different contractor providing service year contractor particular trouble debts led mail horse seized managed acquire replacement animal trouble resultant debt perth albany route adjusted mail travel albany head coast subsequently perth new route difficulties flooding winter resulted terrible trip took month complete people albany travel passengers mail cart found trip perth long arrival convict ship june advent convict labour early completion perth albany road assured investigations direct route williams began late assistant reported direct route miles shorter route miles shorter york route construction recommended late mail contractor completed journey proposed route september soon commenced miles completed october road finished road served main link perth albany 1880s great southern railway opened early 20th century rise motor vehicle era early 20th century saw road gain prominence newly formed took control maintenance perth albany road important roads declared main roads stage perth albany road developed bush track increase overall main road network board work schedule upgrading worst individual segments road separate sections perth albany road improved short drivers experience varied conditions new sealed road gravel road dirt miles improved conditions allowed average speed miles hour reached total trip hours instead days total miles sealed following year route completed town planning report city perth noted traffic congestion albany road widening existing road left council liable compensation affected businesses properties provision bypass routes recommended instead provide bypasses parallel roads upgraded extended street south west north east work progressed extending street eastwards extended street november new causeway extend street north truck route considered state government existing causeway albany road commenced experienced doubling traffic volume new causeway eventually constructed adjacent old causeway demolished cooperation canning road district required continue street bypass south east city boundary boundary road ultimately albany road favour bypass improve access south perth residents canning south perth road boards acting minister works gray june complained congestion albany road traffic delays worsened cars parked sides road slow moving suggested extending street albany highway solution removing gray contended parking prohibited refused scrap said consider resumption land east street enable quarter mile extension albany road street diverted south west connect providing longer continuous route west albany highway ran parallel albany road harvey street chains causeway somerset street half miles road street albany road constructed eventually link road year intersection albany road street road improve visibility anticipation eastern extension road april extension nearing completion expected end demolition houses land resumed western extension arranged september decided construct link street early following year completing road bypass buses rerouted road time preferred route motorists november recommended perth albany road named recognition importance arterial traffic route suggestion followed naming april previous year committee sent letters local governments area advise proposal feedback mixed whilst thoroughly approved general purposes committee recommended objection raised believed sufficient grounds exist proposed change objected strongly retaining new recommendation april albany highway instead new proposal received support preferred recommended boundaries road named albany road proposed bypasses area better suited highway entire road renamed october previously names albany road perth albany road high street world war focused activities war effort roads rural areas deteriorated especially attack brought war pacific urgent maintenance works authorised roads civilian purposes following war returned usual operations repairing maintaining road network rural road network expanded 1950s repairing worst segments roads numerous small jobs assisting local governments seal roads activity spurred closure railway lines addition establishment new land settlements perth roundabout constructed north western end albany highway improve flow traffic causeway opened guides usage roundabout published newspapers construction began upgrade intersection partial cloverleaf interchange eastern end causeway million interchange opened march late 1970s road sections sealed 1950s 1960s need repair maintenance pavement life old surfaces deteriorate crack cracks high priority expensive reconstruction required water allowed enter road base year period million spent repairing albany highway techniques process aimed alleviate growing maintenance problem based thirty year pavement lifespan reconstruction required double actual rate reconstruction abbreviated options roads restoration maintaining condition road surface longer prevent pavement failure rehabilitation improving deteriorated road original condition reconstruction deterioration point repairs prevent road requiring reconstruction costly option save money 1980s began planning future needs albany highway perth conjunction city kilometre section subsequently upgraded november june lane undivided road perth improved adding lane direction median strip project recognised excellence award 1990s improvement projects planned length highway including north mount albany closer perth section hill south east upgraded lane dual work completed june period saw planning construction additional junctions new major roads perth connect way junction highway proposed connect extension highway proposed constructed highway extension initially built single upgraded dual later opened april ahead highway extensions road link opened november link road opened january work undertaken perth john street highway road widened median installed increase safety efficiency works upgraded intersection including installation new traffic lights completed work million contract january work began widening kilometres albany highway north major intersections
Albany Highway