Contract awarded for constructing East Perth bridge

25/1/94

Westrail has awarded a $10 million contract to Transfield for the construction of the new Bunbury Bridge over the Swan River at East Perth.

Transfield, an Australian company with extensive experience in bridge construction both in Australia and overseas, is currently constructing a major bridge in Victoria using the same construction method that will be used for the Westrail bridge.

Transport Minister Eric Charlton said construction of the new 450-metre concrete bridge, to be built 34 metres north of the existing timber structure, is expected to start in early March.

Designed by consulting engineers Bruechle, Gilchrist and Evans, the bridge has many advantages over the old one.

"The new dual track bridge will remove the bottle-neck which now occurs with the existing single line and will be able to handle traffic without the delays that now frequently occur," Mr Charlton said.

The bridge also has a dual use path on the downstream side for pedestrians and cyclists and its open design and increased clearance above water of seven metres allows better use of the Swan River.

"The existing bridge, while still safe, is becoming increasingly expensive to maintain," Mr Charlton said.

"The original bridge was built 100 years ago as part of the Perth to Bunbury rail link.  It was rebuilt in 1932 after being damaged by floods."

Mr Charlton said there was consultation between Westrail and relevant planning authorities to make sure the bridge was compatible with general planning needs in the area and the East Perth redevelopment proposals.

When complete, the bridge would have a new name which would reflect the Aboriginal heritage of the site.  Westrail, with the help of local Aboriginal groups and the East Perth Development Authority, was currently investigating the history of the site with the intention of selecting an Aboriginal title for the new bridge.

The bridge works were expected to employ 60 people during construction.

"The incremental launching technique is a very reliable method of construction for the bridge which will be built with minimal impediment to river traffic," Mr Charlton said.

We expect construction to proceed smoothly with Westrail and the main contractor embracing the concept of 'partnering' and the government's new Code of Practice for the building and construction industry.

"Partnering is a process where all parties agree from the beginning, in a formal structure, to focus on co-operation and avoiding confrontation."

Construction is expected to take 15 months and the bridge should be in use by June 1995.

Media contact:  Tony Robertson 222 9595