Contract to design and construct Northbridge tunnel and roadworks

13/5/96

Transport Minister Eric Charlton and Planning Minister Richard Lewis today jointly announced that a $203.8 million Main Roads contract had been awarded to the Baulderstone Clough Joint Venture to design and construct the Northbridge tunnel and associated roadworks for the City Northern Bypass.

The City Northern Bypass will open in 2000, with simultaneous completion of the Northbridge contract and the Burswood Bridge contract which will be awarded next year.

"This project will help shape the future of Perth as an international city," Mr Charlton said.

"The bypass is an important element in the City for People concepts which are designed to enhance our city for visitors and residents alike."

Mr Lewis said what was being planned, in co-operation with the City of Perth and with private enterprise, was the creation of a garden city which returned the city environment to the people.

"Under the City for People concepts, we can look forward to uninterrupted garden access to the river; to friendlier and more people-oriented streetscapes and traffic calming; to the creation of new buildings like a convention centre; and the restoration of old buildings which will beautify the city centre and extend the concept from the river through the city and into Northbridge," Mr Lewis said.

"But all this will be possible only when we get traffic congestion out of the city. And that is what this bypass will do as part of our plans for a balanced and integrated transport system in which public transport improvements complement the road system."

Mr Charlton said the Government had allocated $30 million for associated measures which comprised bus priority and traffic calming in the central area.

He said the 6.5 km City Northern Bypass project linked Great Eastern Highway and Orrong Road in Rivervale with the Mitchell Freeway in Leederville. It would carry east-west through traffic, which currently was forced to use the Causeway and city streets such as Riverside Drive and St George's Terrace.

"This bypass will reduce traffic on the Causeway to allow the introduction of bus lanes on this important bus commuter route," the Minister said.

"And it will halve the traffic volumes on Riverside Drive, which clearly is not a suitable road to act as a through-route across the city."

Mr Charlton said the controversies which had surrounded the Northbridge tunnel had been founded on misinformation.

"The facts are that environmental issues have been identified and engineering solutions are in place or currently under detailed design," he said.

"For instance, air quality standards as determined by local and international environmental authorities will be comfortably met by the tunnel ventilation system."

Mr Lewis said that no heritage buildings of State significance were at risk and those deemed to have local heritage significance would be recorded in the proper manner for historical records.

"The Baulderstone Clough Joint Venture will be working to an environmental management plan that considered all the statutory requirements and standards required by the Department of Environment and other authorities," he said.

Mr Charlton said the bypass route had been on the planning maps for more than 30 years. Various route and road type options had been canvassed through extensive community consultation during 1994 and the community preference was for a tunnel through Northbridge.

"Clearly a tunnel is cleaner, safer and more visibly attractive," Mr Charlton said.

"It also provides the opportunity for rejuvenation of this part of Northbridge. The urban renewal concept plans have been well publicised and we can look forward to development and restoration projects that will retain and enhance the cultural and architectural characteristics of the area."

Mr Charlton said the construction program would begin in June with relocation of services, including the main sewer which runs down the middle of Fitzgerald Street and Aberdeen Street.

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