McDowell Street extends north, meets Orrong Road, and then continues into neighbouring Kewdale.

Welshpool Road then passes through Wattle Grove, a mostly rural foothill suburb; however, this section is suburban.

It then meets Tonkin Highway; this marks both State Route 8 and Welshpool Road's final traffic light and departure from the Swan Coastal Plain.

After this point, the scenery transitions to semi-rural; however, the quality of the road remains high.

After about 2 km (1.2 mi), the road starts to climb the Darling Scarp, varying from 6- to 10-degree angle of slope.

A short time after this, the median which was previously as wide as 4 lanes thins out dramatically, and becomes negligible.

Roe Highway's extension beyond Welshpool Road in 2002 represented the biggest change to Perth's transport infrastructure since the Graham Farmer Freeway was opened in 2000.