Main Roads WA has advised that construction on the new Fremantle Traffic Bridge is set to start following approval of the Development Application by the WA Planning Commission earlier this month.
Artist’s impression new Fremantle Traffic Bridge
As Main Roads reasonably say, Australia’s only ‘extradosed bridge’ will become a striking gateway to Walyalup with a design incorporating cantilevers and cable support. You can see that from how the Freo people and a border collie (or is it just a mutt) in the artist’s impressions of the new bridge are standing in awe before it!
The good news is this innovative construction approach will allow parts of the new bridge to be built while the existing bridge stays open to traffic.
Artist’s impression new Fremantle Traffic Bridge
So, what will happen first?
Initial project activities include site establishment works:
* construction of two site compounds to the north and south of the existing bridge, including installing services (water and power) and fencing around the worksite
* construction of temporary jetties.
Main Roads advise that as they prepare for construction activities, they will be engaging with local and state government authorities, residents and businesses so they can work together to manage construction impacts.
Main Roads also says that the current service relocation works are progressing well, with telecommunication lines now being shifted. A Horizontal Directional Drill is on site and will be used to drill under the riverbed to connect a pipeline to both sides of the river.
We anre told to watch out for a bigger, wider and longer drill rig arriving on site Main Roads prepare to relocate the water lines.
The Fremantle Traffic Bridge currently houses telecommunications, gas, and water services which need to be removed from the bridge.
The process includes:
* Decommissioning and replacing gas services with new connection points north and south of the river.
* Removing telecommunication and water services and installing three new pipelines (one for telecommunications and two for water) under the riverbed.
By Michael Barker, Editor, Fremantle Shipping News
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From (WT) Bill Ody 23/5/24
Does the artist think that we yokels have never seen a bridge before or something.
Now if you want an entry statement and to stand in awe of something, then the Dragon Bridge in Da Nang is what you need.
That would be an entry statement to Fremantle!
Dragon Bridge, at night, breathing fire!
The Dragon Bridge is really just a suspension bridge but very cleverly done to represent a dragon (Wagyl perhaps for our case in Fremantle) but on Saturday and Sunday nights, although already lit up, it breathes fire and water to the delight of the massed crowds.
And here’s the Dragon Bridge during the day
It baffles me that it took a great deal of community agitation to at least get something better that another lump of concrete bridge, as in Perth’s Narrows Bridge, when we had the opportunity to actually have “an entry statement” to Fremantle.
As it happens “China Beach” correctly known as My Khe beach is across the Dragon Bridge and on a little bit – a lovely beach – and yes, I have been there!
