Fremantle's $596m bridge opens four months ahead of schedule - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Thousands have attended the opening of the new Fremantle traffic bridge.  (ABC News: Nicolas Perpitch)

The Fremantle traffic bridge, officially named Walyalup Bridge, has opened today with a community celebration.

Thousands of people are expected to walk over the bridge before it officially opens to traffic in the evening. 

The opening is four months ahead of schedule, and the bridge cost $596 million — more than double the original estimate.

Thousands of people are expected to walk across the new Fremantle traffic bridge today after it opened to the public months ahead of schedule.

The new 500-metre bridge, named the Walyalup Bridge, marks the next chapter for the port city's historic Swan River crossing and came with a price tag of $596 million — more than double the original estimate. 

The structure is the first "extra-dosed" bridge to be built in Australia, combining both cantilevers and cable stay supports.

The opening of the bridge was a lively, colourful affair, with bands and musicians entertaining the crowd. (ABC News: Nicolas Perpitch)

Gladys Arundel was among the first to cross the bridge, 87 years after attending the opening of the old bridge in 1939 as a 14-year-old. 

"We were in high school just down the road and they decided we would all walk down here for the opening … it was very exciting," she said. 

Gladys Arundel says she first crossed the bridge as a 14-year-old. (ABC News: Nicolas Perpitch)

Jan Middleton, who survived a dramatic 10-metre plunge off the old bridge in her car 70 years ago, was also among the huge crowd. 

Jan Middleton (right) speaks with Rita Saffioti.  (ABC News: Nicolas Perpitch)

The previous 86-year-old heritage-listed bridge was closed in February and progressively dismantled as the new bridge was built around it.

The new bridge is a joint state and federal government project, with a price tag of $596 million. (Supplied: WA government)

The new bridge has the same number of traffic lanes but wider pedestrian paths and a higher clearance for boats.

Construction was expected to take 12 months but has been completed about four months ahead of schedule.

People fishing under the new Fremantle traffic bridge. (ABC News: Nicolas Perpitch)

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti thanked everyone involved in the project, as well as the community and local businesses for their patience. 

"We managed to move people throughout this area with some delays but not anywhere near what people were expecting," she said.

"This is an iconic project that — as we drive past for decades to come — people will look and say: 'What a beautiful bridge'."

Federal member for Fremantle Josh Wilson, Rita Saffioti (centre) and state member for Fremantle Simone McGurk cut the ribbon.  (ABC News: Nicolas Perpitch)

She attributed the cost blowout of the project primarily to the redesign of the bridge. 

"We attempted a number of solutions … the version before the final version had a complete reconfiguration of all the roads, that would have disrupted traffic for years," Ms Saffioti said. 

"We came up with a method that disrupted the community the least, that delivered the best outcome.” 

The bridge construction was initially expected to take a year.  (ABC News: Nicolas Perpitch)

Walyalup Bridge is the fifth iteration of the Fremantle traffic bridge. The first was built by convicts in the mid-1800s and the most recent to be replaced was opened in 1939, with a 40-year design life. 

The first Fremantle traffic bridge, pictured in 1905, with North Fremantle in the background.  (Supplied: State Library Western Australia)

Ms Saffioti said much consideration was given to preserving its history. 

"There has been some wood that's been preserved including the timber decking ... and some of the pylons have been incorporated into the artwork," she said. 

An old bridge globe light has been preserved. (ABC News: Nicolas Perpitch)

When the bridge closed in February, there had been significant concerns traffic congestion would be intense across the one remaining crossing, the Stirling Bridge.

The government changed traffic signals and turning lanes and put in other measures to ease the traffic flow, and in the end the congestion was not as bad as feared.

There were also changes to the local transport network to accommodate the closure, including additional train and bus services, more free parking bays for SmartRider users and increased monitoring of traffic via CCTV.

It is hoped local business will benefit from the huge crowds attending the opening.  (ABC News: Nicolas Perpitch)

Local businesses on both sides of the river had also warned of potentially severe economic impacts. 

Some have since closed and others reported a drop in customers, while others said the closure was not as bad as they feared.

Mirjana Rosic, whose family owns the Bruce Town cafe in North Fremantle, said community support saved the business.

Mirjana Rosic says she is overjoyed the bridge has opened. (ABC News: Nicolas Perpitch)

"It was tough … we were pretty much a ghost town," she said. 

"If it wasn’t for the community we were probably shutting down the doors in March this year when the bridge was closed."

The Cyclists' Action Group has condemned the new bridge as "the most unsafe design for pedestrians, cyclists and mothers with prams built over the rivers near Perth since at least 1980".

"The major design flaw is the lack of a grade-separated crossing under the north end of the bridge for vulnerable road users to cross Queen Victoria Street safely," the group said in a statement.