Workers honoured for work on Narrows Bridge duplication project

30/5/01

Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan today officially opened the Narrows Bridge duplication project and announced that the many workers on the project would be recognised for their contribution.
"Today provides a key opportunity to acknowledge a significant engineering feat that has involved a talented workforce including designers, engineers and construction workers," Ms MacTiernan said.
"To fully commemorate the works on the bridge an initiative is being developed that will acknowledge all those that have worked on the new bridge's design and construction.
"This acknowledgement will be provided by signatures of the workers being collected, laser etched and displayed on the new bridge."
Ms MacTiernan also highlighted Main Roads' management of the works and Leighton Contractors' design and construction abilities including its use of an innovative 'incremental launch' technique to push the new bridge from the southern foreshore across the river.

The Minister said that in Opposition, the Labor Party had expressed concern about the Liberal Government's priority in pushing ahead with building a second Narrows Bridge before constructing a rail link through the south-west metropolitan area.
"While the new bridge will assist in easing traffic problems, there is no doubt that a rail link to Rockingham and Mandurah should have taken higher priority in dealing with the causes and not just the symptoms of traffic congestion," she said.
"Experience with the northern suburbs railway line has shown that such a development will take thousands of cars off the freeway during peak hour.
"We need to encourage people to get out of their cars and on to public transport.
"The new bridge includes a section of the new two-way dedicated bus transitway that will ultimately extend between the city and Murdoch and provide the community with a rapid public transport system."
Ms MacTiernan said that the new bridge duplicated one of Perth's most significant pieces of infrastructure which opened in 1959, connecting the north and south sides of Perth.
"In total each bridge accommodates six lanes, five in each direction for general traffic and one for buses, which are separated from general traffic by concrete safety barriers," she said.
"Other new facilities have been developed and constructed for the pedestrians and cyclists that use the recreational areas and shared paths on and around the river.
"These include a new shared use bridge over the Mill Point Road off-ramp that connects the existing freeway path system to the new path on the bridge."
Ms MacTiernan said the future environmental integrity of the Swan River would be protected with enhanced management of storm-water run-off.
This had been achieved through the development and implementation of a new drainage system north and south of the Narrows Bridge to ensure that the long-term water quality of the river is protected.
To enhance the appearance of the old bridge and integrate it with the new bridge, considerable upgrade works had been required on the old bridge.
"These works have included modifying the bridge's road layout to remove the old peak bus lane to accommodate a southbound bus transitway lane, strengthening and cleaning the facade and repairing concrete where required," the Minister said.
Media contact: Kaye Hopkins 9213 6400