Fremantle’s Old Guard Makes Way for a New Icon
For decades, the Fremantle Traffic Bridge has been a steadfast artery connecting communities across the Swan River. Opening its timber planks to traffic in 1939, the structure was a bold choice, with the Labor Willcock government of the day opting for wood over concrete and steel. The rationale? A lifespan of roughly 60 years was anticipated. Yet, through strategic concrete reinforcement over the years, this old girl significantly surpassed expectations, serving the community for an impressive 87 years before its well-earned retirement.
This Sunday marks the end of an era, as demolition commences to pave the way for a new era of river crossings. A colossal $430 million cable-stayed bridge, already a prominent feature dominating the landscape, is set to take its place. Once completed in approximately 12 months, it’s poised to become one of the most recognisable and iconic crossings on the Swan River, a fitting gateway to the revitalised Fremantle port.
However, the transition to this new, state-of-the-art structure won’t be without its challenges. The next year promises to be a period of significant disruption for one of Perth’s busiest corridors, as the crucial river crossing is rendered inaccessible.
A Pattern of Closures: Navigating Disruption
The upcoming Fremantle bridge closure is not an isolated incident. In her tenure as Transport Minister, Rita Saffioti has overseen several substantial shutdowns of critical transport infrastructure across Perth. These have included a 20-day closure of the Mandurah line between December 2021 and January 2022, and a lengthy 18-month closure of the Armadale line to facilitate the Byford extension and the removal of level crossings.
Currently, the Midland line is also experiencing a shutdown between Bassendean and Midland until February 22, as the new Midland station is brought into operation. The Fremantle bridge closure, however, represents the most extensive road network shutdown undertaken by the current government.
Minister Saffioti acknowledged the inevitability of this disruption, explaining that the chosen alignment for the new bridge, the one most favoured by locals, necessitates the closure of the existing traffic bridge. “When everyone supported this alignment, they knew that it involved the closure of the existing traffic bridge,” she stated at the site on Friday. “Over the past 18 months, a lot of work has been undertaken, but we again want to apologise for the oncoming disruption.”
Despite the impending inconvenience, Saffioti expressed strong confidence that the new bridge will be operational by February of next year. She highlighted the intricate design of the new structure as a key factor in mitigating prolonged disruption. “The reason we chose this design of bridge…the very, very complicated design and structure is to allow us to do as much as possible off-site, which we’ve done.”
Identifying the Pinch Points: Where Will the Congestion Hit?
The 12-month closure of the Fremantle Traffic Bridge is expected to ripple throughout the entire road network of Fremantle and North Fremantle. However, the Stirling Highway bridge is identified as the primary concern for the government, potentially becoming a significant bottleneck.
To manage this anticipated surge in traffic, substantial alterations to the road network have already been implemented, with many changes taking effect last week. The overarching strategy is to expedite north-south traffic flow across the Stirling Highway bridge. To achieve this, east-west travel along Canning Highway at the Stirling Highway intersection has been temporarily removed.
Encouraging a Shift: Public Transport and Active Travel
The state government is placing considerable emphasis on encouraging commuters to abandon their private vehicles. To support this shift, there will be an increase in bus services to schools in the western suburbs, along with additional Transperth bus services that will be granted priority at intersections.
Recognising the importance of active transport, bicycles will be permitted on the Fremantle train line during peak hours to compensate for the lack of pedestrian and cycle access over the closure period. Furthermore, 100 additional car bays have been constructed at Fremantle Station, offering free parking for commuters.
Minister Saffioti also pointed to the government’s success in transitioning freight onto rail, noting an increase from 13% to 26% of freight to and from the port being transported by rail.
Skepticism and Concerns: Opposition and Greens Voice Doubts
While the need for disruption is understood, the opposition is questioning the extent to which the government has prepared to mitigate the impacts. Shadow Transport Minister Steve Martin expressed concerns that the government’s approach to freight, described as a vague “working with industry to discuss options,” and general statements about increased rail usage lack concrete figures, suggesting a lack of proactive planning. He noted that discussions with the trucking industry only commenced late last year.
“We know locals are concerned about frustrated commuters taking ‘rat runs’ through their suburbs. Has anything been done to address this?” Martin questioned. He further criticised the Minister for consistently failing to provide specific modelling data, such as the total weekday capacity of the Stirling Bridge, projected public transport diversions, and expected impacts on peak hour travel times. “It appears they simply don’t know,” he concluded. “Repeating ‘Fremantle is still open for business’ is not a plan. Fremantle small business owners deserve more than that.”
The Greens leader and former Fremantle Mayor, Brad Pettitt, has been a vocal critic of the state government’s perceived lack of detailed planning for cyclists and pedestrians during the bridge closure. In an op-ed published in September, he urged the government to implement reduced speed limits of 40 or even 30 kilometres per hour in Fremantle and East Fremantle, and to upgrade the cycle path along the Stirling Highway bridge.
