THE controversial new Fremantle Traffic Bridge will cost a whopping 54 per cent more than originally advertised, with no help for Freo businesses to survive what could be a “catastrophic” impact for the city.
The project, which has drawn major criticism from some members of the Freo community, was initially costed at $280 million.
However, in the State Budget this week, the government has labelled the Bridge’s cost at $430 million – a massive blowout of the original cost.
Constructing the replacement bridge is poised to be a major inconvenience for Freo traffic, which Greens MLC Brad Pettitt says is “hugely concerning” for the city’s financial health.
“There’ll be no functioning bridge in that location for at least a year, and it’ll be partially closed probably for two years,” Dr Pettitt said.
“There’s no money in the budget for actually helping Fremantle businesses or any of those things, it’s just all the money is going towards infrastructure.
“There’s nothing flagged this budget, or forward estimates, around actually helping Fremantle to survive what I think could be potentially quite a catastrophic impact in terms of traffic and congestion.”
Dr Pettitt says the changed figure had a “distinct lack of fanfare” given the rejection of alternative plans on a financial basis.
“They’ve also spent an extraordinary $80 million already,” Dr Pettitt said.
“Given works have barely started, I find that to be an amazing number to spend on what really largely are drawings.”
According to a spokesperson from the Main Roads department, the “significant escalations” in materials and labour had caused the Bridge replacement cost to balloon so dramatically since it was initially funded in 2019.
“The current figure reflects the project’s complexity and updated design, the extensive program of community and stakeholder engagement which required an extensive scope and design review process,” the spokesperson said.
“The evolution of the design to an extra-dosed cable stay bridge with a construction program designed to minimise the duration of the bridge closure, reflects the extensive program of community and stakeholder consultation undertaken with the local community on this significant project.”
The cost to replace the Bridge will be split in half between the Federal and State governments.
In his criticism of the cost blowout, Dr Pettitt highlighted the effort to save the Bridge from development, which included plans to transform it into a New York Highline-style elevated park.
“At the time they said it was going cost $80 million to keep the old bridge and use it as a as a Highline as proposed,” he said.
“When we’ve just seen a huge budget jump like this, you can’t help but wonder to yourself ‘should have we looked at designs that actually did that?’”
“Would that have been a better outcome from a heritage and community perspective?”
The bridge, which has the highest heritage listing available in the state, is labelled by the WA Heritage Council to be of “exceptional cultural heritage significance” which drove efforts to retain the bridge and build another serviceable traffic-way to its west.
by KATHERINE KRAAYVANGER