The route's main purpose was to provide a connection from Bowsman to rural areas east of the village, and eventually to the Lenswood Highway.

The route's most important feature was a ford crossing over the Swan River.

However in 2006 it was removed due to environmental issues[1] and the fact that it would wash out nearly every spring.

The route is no longer signed as PR 587 ultimately because of the ford crossing decommissioning described above.

The portion of the route from Craigsford to the Lenswood Highway has seen a sharp decline in traffic since the ford crossing's removal, especially the easternmost end of the road.