The Fitzroy River Bridge. Photo: Main Roads Western Australia/Facebook
Months after flooding caused irreparable damage to WA’s Fitzroy River Bridge, demolition is now underway, paving the way for construction of the new bridge to begin.
Construction of the new bridge will begin with the installation of steel and concrete piles.
Each pile will be driven into the riverbed to depths of between 30 and 40 metres, resulting in the new bridge that will be around six times stronger than the old one.
The new bridge will follow the same alignment as the existing bridge, with modifications and enhanced flood protection works made to sections of the Great Northern Highway on either side. It will be 270 metres long, which is 100m longer than the former structure; and it will be dual lane.
“The Fitzroy Crossing Bridge is a vital piece of infrastructure for North-West Australia, and the permanent reconstruction of this bridge will make it easier for the businesses and communities that rely on the road network to travel and receive goods, relieving supply chain issues and unlocking opportunities for the north of the State after these events,” said Federal Minister for Emergency Management, and Acting Minister for Infrastructure, Murray Watt.
“It’s critical to the town of Fitzroy Crossing and the East Kimberley, together with the freight industry and all those businesses and communities who rely on the road network in the north of the state.
“To reach this key stage in such a logistically challenging project, just five months after the cyclone hit the Kimberley, is an outstanding achievement and I look forward to seeing this important piece of infrastructure taking shape in the months ahead.”
A new temporary construction causeway is also being built immediately north of the bridge site, which will provide work crews with uninterrupted access.
The temporary construction causeway is being built adjacent to the near-completed second low-level crossing for public traffic.
Both the second temporary low-level crossing and the new Fitzroy River Bridge are being jointly funded by the Australian and Western Australian Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
The new Fitzroy River Bridge is scheduled to be operational before the 2024/25 wet season.