The Bridge: The Very Latest From Main Roads WA

 Things seem to going gangbusters! Here’s the latest report from Main Roads WA

First Deck Pour Complete for the New Bridge

The new Fremantle Traffic Bridge continues to make excellent progress with the first concrete deck pour completed on Friday 1 May. The pour took place between the towers on the northern side of the bridge. That section of deck was filled with approximately 120 cubic metres of concrete – about 20 truck loads and took under four hours to complete.

Bridge beam installation and finishing works are in full swing with 40 of 46 beams installed. Deck construction is underway concurrently, which includes installing steel reinforcement over the bridge beams, followed by concrete pouring to form the deck structure. Once complete, deck surfacing works will commence, including application of prime, seal and asphalt.

Bridge Parapets Creating Architectural Form

Pre-cast bridge parapet installation has started.  Bridge parapets are structural edge elements installed along the sides of the bridge deck. The 192 parapets on the new Fremantle Traffic Bridge are designed as an integrated architectural feature, balancing aesthetic form, functional performance and sustainability. The parapets feature an exposed aggregate finish and will be lifted into place over the next few months.  They will extend along the full bridge alignment, including the edge beam segments and abutments.

Bridge Removal Progress

Removal of the old traffic bridge is making strong progress and is expected to be completed by August 2026.

• Removal of the bridge deck, upper piers (above water) and bridge abutments (north and south) is complete. 

• Approximately 25% of underwater piles on the southern side of the river have been removed. 

• Works are underway to remove the northern piles with a barge now located in the northern channel. Spotter vessels will continue to assist with vessel management during daylight hours. At night, the barge will be lit to ensure it is visible to passing vessels. All underwater piles are expected to be removed by August, completing the bridge removal process.  

• For more information on the staged bridge removal process, check out our factsheet, located here.

Temporary Jetty Removal Underway

Works started in April 2026 to remove the western jetties span by span, starting from the end of the jetty and working back towards shore. Once removed, the cranes on the west of the bridge will leave site. In July, removal of the eastern jetties will start, with completion expected by September 2026.

Intermittent, in-river vibratory piling is currently underway from Monday to Saturday 7am to 7pm to extract the temporary piles that support the jetties. As this process generates noise, which is amplified underwater, exclusion zones are currently in place for swimmers and passive craft users, including kayakers and stand-up paddle boarders.

Scour Protection – Marine Reef Mats

The project has recorded another first in Australia with an environmental scour protection innovation below the waterline. Newly designed marine reef mats for scour protection are being installed. Unlike conventional concrete mats (pH ~13), reef mats have a pH (acidity measure) closer to natural ocean conditions (pH ~8), which is critical for shellfish settlement. Made with recycled oyster shells and eco‑engineered surfaces, the mats support native marine life, enable blue‑carbon sequestration and reduce visual and hydrological impact.

Re-using Construction Wood

Want to know how construction wood can help our penguin population? Here’s a great story!

Timber for construction is brought to site to use for formwork during in-situ concrete pours for the new bridge towers. The project has created a fit-for-purpose outcome for leftover construction wood. Rather than sending it to be chipped, the reusable timber has been donated to Men’s Sheds throughout the state. The initiative came from the project’s storeman, who flagged that good reusable timber was ending up in our timber recycling bins.

Men’s Sheds are community spaces where people create everything from small pieces/ items, repair furniture and even large local projects. Thanks to this donation, wood that once played a role in delivering this iconic new bridge will be repurposed around Western Australia.

A wonderful highlight was experienced by the Men’s Shed in Albany, four hours south-west of Perth, when the project’s Environmental Manager personally delivered a ute-load of timber in his own time. The group had been using the materials to build shelters for the local little penguin population (see photo below).

Engineers Australia Members Visit the Project Site

Last month, we had the privilege of welcoming a group of retired and non-retired engineers from Engineers Australia to site for a special tour. Their visit brought a wonderful sense of continuity, linking decades of engineering experience with the next generation of infrastructure innovation.

The group had the opportunity to explore the construction of the extradosed bridge, a structure that blends the elegance of a cable‑stayed design with the efficiency of a balanced cantilever bridge. They learned:

• How the extradosed system reduces cable angles while increasing deck stiffness.

• The sequencing of segmental construction and stay cable installation.

• The engineering considerations behind balancing aesthetics, durability, and constructability.

We thank them for visiting and sharing their amazing construction stories from their own careers and offering engineering insights.

~ Here’s more of our coverage on FSN of the Old/New Fremantle Traffic Bridge

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