Relocating services from the Fremantle Traffic Bridge
The Fremantle Traffic Bridge houses telecommunications, gas, and water services which need to be removed from the deteriorating bridge. Development Approval was granted in October 2022 to conduct these works.
Concurrently, a Development Application to progress the Swan River Crossings Project is being assessed through the State Development Assessment Unit. The service works are required regardless of the current Development Application (DA).
What’s happening?
Gas services will be decommissioned and removed from the existing bridge, with new connection points activated north and south of the river.
Telecommunication and water services will be removed. Three new pipelines (one telecommunication and two water) will be installed under the riverbed to house the new services.
A Horizontal Directional Drill will be used to drill under the riverbed connecting a pipeline to both sides of the river. Once the pipeline is in place, the service lines are placed inside the pipe.
The community will see activities at the southern and northern ends of the bridge in late March 2024 to prepare for the arrival of the first drill rig.
The following information summarises activities and changes in the area, including those needed to prioritise the safety of residents, pedestrians and workers:
Changes to Beach Street and Queen Victoria Street for road users, pedestrians and cyclists
Beach Street will need to close from April to August 2024 as large machines will be in use for service relocations. Access to the businesses and carpark on Beach Street east of the bridge will be maintained. Vehicles and pedestrians travelling to and from Fremantle will be detoured via East Street and Canning Highway.
Queen Victoria Street (including Fremantle Traffic Bridge), between Swan Street and Canning Highway will have intermittent lane closures from April. Advance notice of any closures or traffic modifications will be sent out to our project subscriber email list. You can also provide feedback on this closure until 6 April at: enquiries@mainroads.wa.gov.au
Site Fencing
From late-March, fencing will be installed at locations north and south of the bridge. The area on the north-east side of Queen Victoria Street between Swan Street and the traffic bridge (currently used as an informal car park) will be closed to house the drill pipeline exit point.
More fencing will be required when relocations of the two water lines starts around late July 2024.
Vegetation Removal
Some trees and vegetation need to be removed to allow construction of a limestone pad for the drill rigs and site laydown areas. Professional arborists have been engaged early to provide advice on the condition and species of trees in the area as well as identify which trees are suitable for removal. Clearing will start on 25 March, with professional arborists on site, and will only be done in the area where the drill rigs will operate.
These works have been staged separately, using one drill at a time instead of two, which has reduced the clearing footprint. Removed vegetation will be mulched and stored for re-use in landscaping. Impacts such as dust and noise will be minimised, and traffic management will be in place for these works.
An urban and landscape design will be developed in consultation with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservations and Attraction and the City of Fremantle, using local, native species to restore the environment to its natural state and support the riverine ecology.