The New Traffic Bridge: Has Main Roads WA Given Up?

We hardly need to take you through the recent history of proposals to remove the heritage listed Old Fremantle Traffic Bridge. Look here for our stories on the Bridge saga.

As of last August, it seemed a new bridge on a new alignment would be built.

Here is the image that appears on Main Roads WA website of what was then proposed.

As of today, their website describes the current state of works in this way.

We emailed Main Roads WA today for advice as to just where things are at, as we can’t see much happening at the Old Bridge site. Perhaps they’ve just given up?

Many will remember there was enormous Freo and East Freo community pushback on the idea that Canning Highway east of East Street should be rerouted with the effect that the current beautiful river drive out of, or into Freo, under the bridge along Beach Street and Riverside Drive would be lost.

With that in mind, we thought we overheard someone say just the other day – or did we dream it – that perhaps Main Roads was sensibly rethinking that crazy Canning Highway rerouting idea, but then we thought we also heard or them say – or dreamt – Main Roads might also be entertaining the even crazier idea of abandoning the preferred alignment for the new bridge, arrived at after so much headache and community negotiation, and going back to the idea of building a new bridge pretty much in the alignment of the Old Traffic Bridge once the Old Bridge has been demolished.

SURELY NOT?

We still await advice from Main Roads, and will pass it on to you once to a hand. But don’t hold your breath. Their email response to our request told us to expect a reply in about ‘ten business days’, ie, sometime during the week after next, or the week after that, or when they get back from Easter, if we’re lucky. Really!

UPDATE: Moments after posting this story, we received this email advice from the project Community and Stakeholder Relations Coordinator – ‘The Swan River Crossings Project team are still working through stakeholder feedback. As soon as we have more information we will be in touch.’

So, still none the wiser.

If you know what Main Roads are up to, do let us know!

By Michael Barker, Editor, Fremantle Shipping News

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