Brookton Highway is a 112-kilometre (70 mi) long undivided single carriageway highway in Western Australia, running from the southern Perth suburb of Kelmscott, through Westdale, to the southern Wheatbelt town of Brookton. It is signposted as State Route 40; however, the route and highway continue on far past Brookton, passing through Corrigin, Kondinin, Hyden, Lake King, and finishing at South Coast Highway, just west of Ravensthorpe.

Brookton Highway

Map
General information
TypeHighway
Length112 km (70 mi)[1]
Route number(s) State Route 40
Major junctions
West end Albany Highway (State Route 30), Kelmscott, Perth
 
  • Canning Road (State Route 41)
  • Westdale Road
East end Great Southern Highway (State Route 120), Brookton
Location(s)
Major settlementsRoleystone, Karragullen, Westdale, Brookton
Highway system
Brookton Highway near Brookton in 2013
Brookton Highway, Roleystone Valley, 1927

Route description edit

 
Wandoo (Eucalyptus wandoo) woodlands along the highway at Brookton Highway Nature Reserve, December 2010.

Near its western terminus, the road passes through thick jarrah forest in the Darling Scarp; however further east, the landscape soon becomes flat, passing through wheat farming regions and wandoo woodlands until reaching Brookton.

The highway is a part of the route linking Perth to Esperance and is identified as a strategic freight and tourist route.[2] For most of the road it is able to cater for heavy vehicle combinations up to 36.5 m (120 ft) in length which generally carry grain and livestock. Tourism traffic, particularly to Wave Rock, is also prevalent along the western stretch of the road.

History edit

The bushfire in Kelmscott and Roleystone on 6 February 2011 destroyed the Buckingham Bridge. The bridge had originally been built from timber in 1935.[3] A temporary bridge over the Canning River was opened on 4 March 2011 and was constructed using 400 tonnes (880,000 lb) of rock, 250 tonnes (550,000 lb) of crushed limestone and 4,500 tonnes (9,900,000 lb) of fill material. Heavy vehicles were unable to use the structure and had to detour at Welshpool Road. This part of the highway is used by up to 4,000 vehicles per day.[4]

The Buckingham Bridge was replaced with a permanent concrete and steel bridge, constructed to the south of the temporary crossing so that traffic was not disturbed.[5][6][7][8] The new Buckingham Bridge was opened to traffic on 25 July 2013.[5]

Major intersections edit

LGALocationkmmiDestinations[9][10][11]Notes
ArmadaleKelmscottMt Nasura boundary00.0  Albany Highway (State Route 30) – Perth, Gosnells, Armadale, AlbanyTraffic light intersection, western terminus
Roleystone5.03.1Peet Road north/  Soldiers Road (Tourist Drive 205) south – BedfordaleTourist Drive 205 western concurrency terminus, staggered T-intersections
5.93.7  Croyden Road (Tourist Drive 205) – Ashendon, Araluen Botanic ParkTourist Drive 205 eastern concurrency terminus
Karragullen12.27.6  Canning Road (State Route 41) – Canning Mills, Kalamunda, Lesmurdie
BeverleyWest Dale65.840.9Westdale Road – Dale, Beverley
BrooktonJelcobine91.8–
92.2
57.0–
57.3
York Williams Road – York, Pingelly, WilliamsStaggered T-intersections
Brookton110.068.4   Brookton Corrigin Road (State Route 40/State Route 120) east/  Williams Street (State Route 120) south – Beverley, Corrigin, Pingelly, NarroginBoth roads connects to Great Southern Highway. Brookton Highway eastern terminus. T-intersection favouring Brookton Highway which continues as    Brookton Corrigin Road to the east

See also edit

KML is from Wikidata

  Australian Roads portal

References edit

  1. ^ Google (20 June 2013). "Brookton Highway" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  2. ^ "Roads 2025 Regional Road Development Strategy" (PDF). 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 April 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
  3. ^ "Brookton Highway reconnected through Kelmscott/Roleystone". 2011. Archived from the original on 23 April 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
  4. ^ "Brookton Highway bridge reopens". 2011. Archived from the original on 6 March 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
  5. ^ a b Buswell, Troy (25 July 2013). "Buckingham Bridge opens to traffic". Media Statements of the Government of Western Australia (Media statement). Western Australia: Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 9 July 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  6. ^ "$7million Buckingham Bridge replacement works commencing soon". News. Main Roads Western Australia. 5 November 2012. Archived from the original on 23 April 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  7. ^ "$7million for Buckingham Bridge replacement". Ministerial Media Statements. Government of Western Australia. 5 November 2012. Archived from the original on 6 December 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  8. ^ Shurmer, Jaime (1 November 2012). "Permanent replacement for bridge destroyed in Kelmscott/Roleystone bushfire". Comment News. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  9. ^ Main Roads Western Australia (28 February 2011). "Metropolitan Network" (Map). Intergrated Service Arrangement. 1:500,000. Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 August 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
  10. ^ Main Roads Western Australia (13 August 2013). Wheatbelt South Region map (PDF) (Map). 1:590,551. Version 1.0. Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 29 August 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
  11. ^ Main Roads Western Australia (16 August 2013). Great Southern Region map (PDF) (Map). 1:721,154. Version 1.0. Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 29 August 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2015.