The Fitzroy Bridge Alliance, comprising BMD Construction, Georgiou and designers BG&E, has completed works six months ahead of schedule in partnership with Main Roads, allowing the Fitzroy River Bridge to reopen to traffic.
The completion of the project marks the official reconnection of East and West Kimberley, after the old Fitzroy River Bridge was irreparably damaged in the historic Kimberley floods in January.
The new bridge’s reconstruction was jointly funded by the Australian and Western Australian Governments through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
The speed of the bridge rebuild was unprecedented in Western Australia, with demolition of the old bridge only occurring in May.
This rate of progress was made possible due to a high level of collaboration with key suppliers and contractors to ensure components such as bridge beams, bearings and concrete were made available at the time they were required and installed in an efficient, but safe manner.
The State Government also undertook a fast-tracked procurement process, which saw contracts awarded in around eight weeks, a process which normally takes up to nine months.
The new bridge is six times stronger than the old bridge. It contains twice the number of steel and concrete piles, driven twice as deep into the riverbed. It is also significantly longer than the old bridge and has a lane in each direction. This will ensure the bridge will be more resilient to flood events in the future.
Importantly, the project also delivered significant outcomes for the local community.
More than 240 locals have been employed on the project, a quarter of total construction hours are attributed to Aboriginal people and 26 Aboriginal-owned businesses were awarded contracts associated with this project.
With the bridge now opened, Main Roads WA and the Fitzroy Bridge Alliance are working with other State Government agencies to identify ongoing business and employment opportunities for locals who have developed skills and business capacity as a result of the bridge build.
The New Fitzroy River Bridge is a vital piece of infrastructure for North-West Australia. Its construction now provides certainty to businesses and communities that rely on the road network to travel and receive goods.
