–Esperance Highway is generally a two-lane single carriageway road, with a speed limit of , except in and around built up areas. Between Coolgardie and Norseman the highway proceeds through "undulating, timbered, and salt lake country", while south of Norseman it travels across agricultural land, and on approach to Esperance it passes near lakes and hillsides. There are few towns on the highway: Coolgardie, Widgiemooltha, Norseman, Salmon Gums, Grass Patch, Gibson, and Esperance. These are mostly separated by distances of , except for Salmon Gums–Grass Patch and Gibson–Esperance which are only and apart respectively.