New design for $280m Freo bridge

The state government has changed its proposal for the $280 million Fremantle Traffic Bridge after community feedback, more than a year after unveiling the designs.

Concept designs for the Swan River Crossings project were released in August last year but the state government today announced an enhanced design to replace the aging Fremantle bridge has been submitted for development approval.

According to the state government, the decision to reassess the initial design, road layout and realignment was made after community feedback.

The new design no longer proposed any changes to the existing road layout, which the Fremantle community was opposed to.

As part of the new design, the Containbow art installation will remain in its existing location.

The enhanced Fremantle Traffic Bridge design.

Planning Minister Rita Saffioti said the Fremantle bridge was built more than 80 years ago as a temporary structure and there had been concerns over its safety.

“We sought community feedback over a range of designs that we have put forward,” she said.

“Some of them were really about trying to enhance or change the entire landscape, in particular the southern embankment.

“We undertook many designs but it was clear there wasn't a consensus approach, so we re-scoped the work.

“We sought to go to the community over recent years, we had a lot of feedback, some contradictory, and that's what happens sometimes when you all seek different views, but we now believe building the bridge where it is will be much easier for the whole community.”

The state government said the proposed bridge would be Australia’s only extradosed bridge combining both cantilevers and cable support.

A comparison of the design unveiled in August 2022 (left) and the enhanced design.

Construction of the new infrastructure would close the bridge for up to 12 months but the state government said work was not expected to start until at least 2025.

The state government expects construction to start in the second half of 2024, subject to development approval, at the earliest.

City of Fremantle mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge welcomed the state government’s updated concept design.

“The city particularly looks forward to working with the project team in its planning to minimise any negative impacts on the community during construction,” she said.

In a statement, the city said the new design was simpler, architecturally more elegant and avoided major changes to landscape and road layout at the southern end of a new bridge.

The Swan River Crossings project is jointly funded by the state and federal governments, contributing $140 million each.