Beams lift for new Reid Highway bridge

Bridge beams for the new Reid Highway bridge over the Mitchell Freeway will be installed this weekend, heralding a major milestone in the $108 million joint Australian and Western Australian Government funded project.

The Australian Government is contributing $67.2 million to this project. It is one of nine projects, receiving a total of $499.1 million in Australian Government funding, under the WA Infrastructure Project National Partnership. 

Minister for Major Projects, Territories and Local Government Paul Fletcher said over this weekend eight bridge beams measuring up to 44.5 metres long and weighing up to 162 tonnes each would be lifted into place using a 600 tonne crane.

“When completed the new bridge will provide two lanes in each direction, resulting in immediate safety and efficiency gains, along with greater capacity in the future as traffic increases,” Mr Fletcher said.

The Reid Highway duplication project also includes the widening of Reid Highway to include dual lanes in both directions between Erindale Road and Duffy Road. It is part of a much larger $108 million project which includes a new interchange at the junction of Reid Highway and Malaga Drive, and the widening of Reid Highway from Marmion Avenue to Duffy Road.

Western Australian Minister for Transport Dean Nalder said the work was part of an integrated transport plan to improve traffic for freight and general motorists.

This section of the highway was a known congestion point and carried about 30,000 vehicles per day, he said. By 2031, it will carry about 59,000 vehicles per day.

In conjunction with the Public Transport Authority, Main Roads has scheduled the bridge work closures to coincide with the Joondalup Line railway maintenance shutdown, to minimise disruption and impacts on road and rail users.

The Joondalup rail line will be closed from Perth Station to Whitfords Station from Friday 6 November to Sunday 8 November, with trains resuming at the start of timetabled services on Monday 9 November.

Transperth will have replacement buses running during the closure, but there will be some delays, so passengers should plan their journey and allow for additional travel time.

The joint works will also require the closure of a section of Mitchell Freeway and Reid Highway on the weekend of 6, 7 and 8 November.

For further information on road closures and detours visit: www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/AboutMainRoads/News/Pages/default.aspx.

For further information on the Joondalup Line rail line closure visit: www.transperth.wa.gov.au/Track-Closures/Planned-Works-Calendar/Planned-Works-Details/joondalup-line-perth-to-whitfords-closure-14317.