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Boorloo Bridge

Coordinates: 31°57′56″S 115°52′58″E / 31.965516°S 115.882903°E / -31.965516; 115.882903 (Boorloo Bridges)
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Boorloo Bridge
An under-construction cable-stayed bridge across the Swan River with two towers, July 2024
The south-eastern bridge, the longer of the two Boorloo Bridge bridges that stretches between Heirisson Island and Victoria Park, during construction in July 2024
Coordinates31°57′56″S 115°52′58″E / 31.965516°S 115.882903°E / -31.965516; 115.882903 (Boorloo Bridges)
CarriesPedestrians and cyclists
CrossesSwan River
LocalePerth, Western Australia
BeginsEast Perth
EndsVictoria Park
Named forBoorloo
OwnerMain Roads Western Australia
Next upstreamThe Causeway
Next downstreamNarrows Bridge
Characteristics
DesignCable-stayed
Total length443 m (1,453.4 ft)
Width6 m (20 ft)
History
ArchitectDissing+Weitling, Denmark
Constructed byCivmec
Seymour Whyte
WSP
Construction startMarch 2023
Construction cost$100M
Opening22 December 2024
Location
Map
Boorloo Bridge comprises two bridges: one on the East Perth side of Heirisson Island and a second on the Victoria Park side. The bridges carry a pedestrian and cycle path between the East Perth and Victoria Park sides over the river.

Boorloo Bridge is a pedestrian and cycle crossing comprising two cable-stayed bridges that span separate channels of the Swan River in Perth, Western Australia. These bridges are connected by the pedestrian and cycle path across Heirisson Island that they carry to the East Perth and Victoria Park foreshores.

The crossing facilitates the linking of the East Perth side of the river with the Victoria Park side, and is located slightly downstream of the Causeway, the existing road crossing between the East Perth and Victoria Park sides across the island also carried over the river by two bridges. Construction began in March 2023, and the two bridges were opened on 22 December 2024. The project was known during construction as the Causeway Pedestrian and Cyclist Bridges and was later named Boorloo Bridge (singular) after the Noongar name for Perth, Boorloo.[1]

Design

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Under-construction cable-stayed bridge across a river with one tower
The north-western bridge, the shorter of the two that stretches between Heirisson Island and East Perth, during construction in July 2024

The two bridges, built with 1,628 tonnes (3.6 million pounds) of steel and 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) of cabling,[2] are approximately 90 metres (300 ft) downstream of the Causeway.[1] Separated by an approximately 257-metre-long (843 ft) path across Heirisson Island, the East-Perth-side bridge is about 163 metres (535 ft) long and the Victoria-Park-side bridge is about 280 metres (920 ft) long. The path carried by the two bridges across Swan River and that connects them across Heirisson Island is a 6-metre-wide (20 ft) segregated path. The bridges are S-shaped and represent a Wagyl, the Noongar manifestation of the Rainbow Serpent in Australian Aboriginal religion and mythology. There are three pylons in total. Two pylons are shaped to resemble Aboriginal digging sticks and one pylon is shaped to resemble a boomerang.[3]

Lighting display

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The bridge's stay cables – which are between 17 and 94 metres (56 and 308 ft) long – are intended to incorporate lights to display messages and images.[4][5]

History

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Shows the very narrow footpath used by both pedestrians and cyclists to cross the river at Heirisson Island.
Causeway footpath used by both pedestrians and cyclists to cross the river at Heirisson Island

The Causeway's narrow footpath necessitated a dedicated pedestrian and cycling bridge; in 2021 the Causeway catered "to about 1,400 cyclists and 1,900 pedestrians daily".[6] The bridge was announced on 26 August 2020, with an estimated cost of A$50 million,[7][8][9] jointly funded by the state and federal governments under the "Perth City Deal",[10][11] with the construction managed by Main Roads Western Australia.

Expressions of interest for the construction contract opened in February 2021.[6][12] Two proponents were shortlisted in April 2021,[13] and a consortium of Civmec, Seymour Whyte and WSP was named preferred proponent in March 2022, with the total estimated cost at the time being $100M.[14][15] The contract was awarded in April 2022.[3] The Town of Victoria Park approved the bridge in September 2022, with the south-eastern end of the bridge occupying McCallum Park, which is owned by the Town of Victoria Park.[16][17] The bridge was approved by a Development Assessment Panel in December 2022.[18][19] The first sod was turned in March 2023.[20][21][22] Fabrication of the bridges' components was underway in Henderson, Western Australia, by November 2023.[citation needed] In the same month, riverine construction began.[23] An additional $80M cost was revealed in the May 2024 state budget, for water main upgrades, toilet blocks, and landscaping around the bridge.[24] All major components of the bridges were in place by early August 2024, including all sixteen bridge modules and all pylons. It was also announced that the bridges were on track to open by the end of 2024.[25][26]

On 14 November 2024 it was announced that the bridges would open on 22 December 2024. The official name for the two bridges was also revealed as Boorloo Bridge (singular), where Boorloo is the Noongar name for Perth.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Cook, Roger; Saffioti, Rita; Carey, John (14 November 2024). "Causeway pedestrian bridges set for December opening" (Joint media statement). Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 17 November 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024. Once open, the new iconic structures will be officially named Boorloo Bridge, in recognition of the Whadjuk Noongar culture and rich history embedded into the design of the bridges.
  2. ^ Bianchini, Justin (20 December 2024). "Free twilight celebration to mark opening of Boorloo Bridge connecting Victoria Park and Perth CBD". PerthNow. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Boorloo Bridge (Causeway Pedestrian and Cyclist Bridges Project)". Main Roads Western Australia, Government of Western Australia. 20 December 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2024. To completely separate path users from traffic, two connected bridges will be built alongside the Causeway, providing a 6 metre wide segregated path connecting the Victoria Park foreshore with Heirisson Island and Perth's CBD at Point Fraser
  4. ^ Weber, David (10 March 2024). "Designs for Perth's new $100m pedestrian bridge spruik 'digital canvas' light displays across Swan River". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  5. ^ "New $100m causeway bridge to become WA's latest 'digital canvas' to promote state tourism". The West Australian. 10 March 2024. Archived from the original on 14 July 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  6. ^ a b Gameng, Monica (3 February 2021). "Expressions of Interest begin for new WA Causeway Bridge project". Felix Vendor Marketplace. Archived from the original on 14 July 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  7. ^ McNeill, Heather (26 August 2020). "New pedestrian bridge to be built connecting Victoria Park to CBD via Heirrison Island". WAtoday. Archived from the original on 14 July 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  8. ^ "McGowan Government to unveil plans for $50 million pedestrian and cycle bridge across Swan River". PerthNow. 26 August 2020. Archived from the original on 14 July 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  9. ^ McGowan, Mark; Saffioti, Rita (26 August 2020). "New Swan River bridge to be built as part of WA Recovery" (Media statement). Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  10. ^ Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, Australian Government (October 2020). Perth City Deal (PDF) (Report). Foreword by Scott Morrison, Mark McGowan and Andrew Hammond. Commonwealth of Australia. ISBN 978-1-925843-69-9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 November 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Morrison, Scott (17 March 2022). "Major boost for the Perth City Deal" (Media release). Canberra: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  12. ^ Saffioti, Rita (29 January 2021). "Expressions of interest now open to build iconic new Causeway Bridge" (Joint media statement). Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 14 July 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  13. ^ Saffioti, Rita (28 April 2021). "Proponents shortlisted for iconic new Swan River Causeway Bridge" (Joint media statement). Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 14 July 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  14. ^ McGowan, Mark; Saffioti, Rita (17 March 2022). "Major boost for the Perth City Deal" (Joint media statement). Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 14 July 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  15. ^ McKinnon, Stuart (17 March 2022). "Civmec consortium in line for $55m Causeway bridge contract". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 14 July 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  16. ^ Rifici, Victoria (8 September 2022). "$55m Swan River cycle bridge over McCallum park awaits Town of Victoria Park approval". PerthNow. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  17. ^ Rifici, Victoria (29 September 2022). "Town of Victoria Park gives approval for $100m Swan River cycle bridge over McCallum Park to be submitted". PerthNow. Archived from the original on 14 July 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  18. ^ Rifici, Victoria (20 December 2022). "WA State planners approve new $100 million Causeway Pedestrian and Cyclist Bridge in Town of Victoria Park". PerthNow. Archived from the original on 24 July 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  19. ^ Budihardjo, Nadia (20 December 2022). "2024 end date for $100m Causeway bridge". Business News. Archived from the original on 14 July 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  20. ^ McGowan, Mark; Saffioti, Rita (1 March 2023). "Construction starts on new gateway to city" (Joint media statement). Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 14 July 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  21. ^ Gameng, Monica (11 March 2023). "Major works begin on $100m new Causeway bridges project in WA". Felix Vendor Marketplace. Archived from the original on 14 July 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  22. ^ Melanko, Ashleigh (3 March 2023). "Construction Begins On New Pedestrian And Cycling Bridges". So Perth. Archived from the original on 14 July 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  23. ^ Cook, Roger; Saffioti, Rita (2 November 2023). "New cycling and pedestrian gateway to Perth CBD coming to life" (Media statements). Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 14 July 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  24. ^ Zimmerman, Josh (22 May 2024). "Fremantle Traffic Bridge blows out by $150m while $84m will be tipped into Causeway Bridge 'activation' works". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 14 July 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  25. ^ Cook, Roger; Saffioti, Rita (4 August 2024). "Causeway bridges crossing now in place" (Joint media statement). Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  26. ^ Ford, Olivia (4 August 2024). "Perth's CBD one-kilometre long causeway on track for completion by the end of 2024". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.