Bridge planned for Swan
A new traffic bridge across the Swan River is back on the agenda, with confirmation the Barnett Government has started planning for the congestion-busting crossing.
Speaking at a parliamentary budget estimates hearing this week, Transport director-general Reece Waldock confirmed his department was looking at an east-west crossing between Perth and Fremantle.
He said it was too early to outline details of the project but "in 12 months' time we would be delighted to talk to you about it".
Mr Waldock said a new bridge was "part of how we see the city developing" as Perth doubled its population to about 3.5 million between 2040 and 2050.
Shortly before last year's State election, the RAC said a new bridge was needed across the Swan River to ease Perth's congestion by moving traffic around the city rather than through it.
One proposed crossing was from Stock Road in Bicton to Dalkeith - an idea floated in the 1950s. But the bridge plan was roundly criticised, with Premier Colin Barnett saying it was not a transport priority.
"The major considerations now are expanding the freeways and dealing with some very congested intersections . . . and also projects like the light rail going from Perth to Mirrabooka," Mr Barnett said on January 14 last year.
At the time, Curtin University sustainability professor Peter Newman said the bridge would be a ridiculous waste of money and do little to solve congestion.
Professor Newman put the cost at about $10 billion.
But at last year's Australian Institute of Traffic Planning and Management conference in Perth, delegates agreed a new river crossing was inevitable given Perth's development over such a narrow land corridor.
One suggested crossing was from the University of WA to Canning Bridge.
At the budget estimates hearing this week, the Department of Transport's acting deputy director-general Graeme Doyle also confirmed planning was under way for a new north-south freeway. But Mr Waldock would not say if this north-south freeway would be linked to the proposed river crossing.
In July, in response to the same parliamentary committee, the department said as part of its long-term planning it was also looking at a corridor for a high-speed railway to Bunbury.
Shadow transport minister Ken Travers said it was another case of the Premier saying something different after an election to what was said before the election.
