Shepperton Road is a single carriageway four lane road in Perth, Western Australia.

Shepperton Road

Map
General information
TypeRoad
Length3.8 km (2.4 mi)
Opened1930s
Route number(s)
Major junctions
Northwest end
 
Southeast end Albany Highway (State Route 30), St James
Location(s)
Major suburbsBurswood, East Victoria Park

Counterintuitively, the road provides a higher-capacity alternative for the northernmost section of Albany Highway due to the latter forming the high street of the busy inner south-eastern suburb of Victoria Park. The road therefore forms the northernmost section of State Route 30, with the bypassed section of Albany Highway unsigned as a result.

History edit

Shepperton Road was noted as running parallel to the then-named Albany Road between Harvey Street, 45 chains (3,000 ft; 910 m) from The Causeway, and Somerset Street, one and a half miles (2.4 km) further along.[1] In 1937, a road from Asquith Street to Albany Road was constructed, to eventually link in with Shepperton Road. In the same year, the intersection of Albany Road, Milford Street, and Welshpool Road was reconfigured to improve visibility, and in anticipation of an eastern extension to Shepperton Road.[2] In April 1940, that extension was nearing completion, which was expected to be by the end of May, while the demolition of houses on land resumed for the western extension was being arranged.[1] On 29 September 1941, the Perth City Council decided to construct the link between Asquith Street and Harvey Street early the following year, completing the Shepperton Road bypass.[3] Buses were rerouted onto Shepperton Road in 1946,[4] by which time it had become the preferred route for motorists.[5]

Shepperton Road (red) bypass of Albany Highway (blue). In September 1941 the section between Asquith Street and Harvey Street was yet to be constructed.

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Street Extensions". The West Australian. Perth, WA. 24 April 1940. p. 15. Retrieved 27 July 2014 – via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  2. ^ "City of Perth". The West Australian. Perth, WA. 1 January 1938. p. 9. Retrieved 27 July 2014 – via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  3. ^ "A New Roadway". The West Australian. Perth, WA. 30 September 1941. p. 6. Retrieved 27 July 2014 – via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  4. ^ "New Route For Buses". The West Australian. Perth, WA. 5 July 1946. p. 9. Retrieved 28 July 2014 – via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  5. ^ "Albany Highway Under Repair". The West Australian. Perth, WA. 25 July 1946. p. 9. Retrieved 28 July 2014 – via Trove (National Library of Australia).