Works have been completed on the new Ranford Road bridge in Perth’s south-eastern suburbs, opening up to traffic as of this week.
The new bridge is 1.2 metres higher, 15 metres longer and significantly wider than the old bridge, which includes six total traffic lanes.
The federal government says this will help in easing congestion along the bridge and make journeys faster and safer for more than 43,000 vehicles a day.
“The federal government is proud to be partnering with the Western Australian government to enable funding to upgrade this long-needed essential road link in southern Perth,” says federal transport minister Catherine King.
“It’s great to see the completion of this bridge project which now means a safer, smoother and more efficient link along Ranford Road, better catering for the large amount of traffic and huge weight involved in enabling that amount of traffic to constantly cross the bridge.”
The completion of the bridge comes as works on the 17.5-kilometre Thornlie-Cockburn Link continue, with the project remaining on track for completion in 2025.
This is a part of the $1.352 billion Thornlie-Cockburn Link project, which has been jointly funded by the WA and federal governments.
“The completion of this bridge is a significant milestone in this major project that will not only improve traffic flow for thousands of motorists each year but also allow for the completion of the METRONET Thornlie-Cockburn link project,” says state transport minister Rita Saffioti.
“The project is delivering some great outcomes for jobs and local manufacturing of the beams happening right here in WA, while local businesses and the community will benefit in the long-term with improved road and rail access.
“The new bridge and the Thornlie-Cockburn Link will be a game changer for people living in Perth’s southern suburbs and will better connect our city from east to west.”