Perth’s Causeway Pedestrian and Cyclist Bridges

WSP is collaborating with Main Roads WA, Civmec and Seymour Whyte to design and build two cable-stay bridges over the Swan River in Perth for pedestrians and cyclists.

WSP is providing design services for the Causeway Pedestrian and Cyclist Bridges as part of an alliance with Main Roads, Civmec and Seymour Whyte. The project is comprised of two cable-stayed bridges that will traverse the Swan River from Victoria Park to Point Fraser via Heirisson Island in two s-shaped curves that represent the movement of the Waugyl (rainbow serpent).

The new bridges replace the current two-metre-wide active transport path with a six-metre-wide segregated path. This will provide more than 1,400 cyclists and 1,900 pedestrians daily safe passage. The heritage-listed Causeway Bridge will remain in its current configuration.

The Causeway Pedestrian and Cyclist Bridges project has been recognised for its comprehensive and inclusive consultation with stakeholders, winning the Built Environment Award at the 2023 Cycling Luminaries Awards.

WSP designed the following aspects of the project works:

Two cable-stayed bridges, McCallum Park Bridge - a three span 240-metre-long bridge linking McCallum Park to Heirisson Island, and Point Fraser Bridge - a multi-span 210-metre-long bridge linking Heirisson Island to Point Fraser. The relatively lightweight steel design of the bridges required complex dynamic analysis for wind loading and footfall pedestrian loads to ensure structural strength and comfort criteria were met.
Shared path networks civil design for all landside aspects of the bridge approaches including integration with the landscaping design and stakeholder requirements.
Geotechnical design involving detailed site investigation, piling design for both the marine piles and landside piles, and earthworks approach embankment design. Relatively poor ground conditions resulted in complex and innovative design solutions such as CMCs to minimise settlement and reduce the time required for the settlement.
Lighting and security design for the bridges and shared path networks to ensure the safety of the path users. Bridge decks will be lit with integrated handrail lighting, while the pylons will have projector lights to illuminate these structural features. In addition, the structural cables of the bridges will be lit with feature lighting that will enable both colours and, in the case of Point Fraser Bridge, moving images to be shown. WSP worked collaboratively with the alliance and lighting suppliers to provide a best for project approach that met all requirements and considered operations and maintenance in the design.

Location

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Client

Main Roads WA

Project Value

$140M

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A sustainable and cultural solution for Perth

The cable-stayed bridges were designed to minimise river impacts. McCallum Park Bridge has two in river pylons and Point Fraser Bridge has a single pylon. Both bridges have long spans and a slender deck profile. Their location, about 90-metres downstream of the existing Causeway bridges, was chosen for its minimal impacts on the Swan River and the area’s flora and fauna. The bridges’ curved design minimises impacts to existing trees and accommodates the navigation channel’s height requirements, whilst slowing cyclists traveling downhill as they approach key intersection points.

The two cable-stayed bridges incorporate dedicated rest points built for path users. The bridges comprise fabricated steel decks made of weathering steel to provide a ‘rusty’ appearance that doesn’t need painting and therefore significantly reduces maintenance over the life of the assets.

Extensive stakeholder consultation involved engagement planning and ongoing communication with those impacted by the project including residents, businesses, and path users. The project team worked closely with local traditional owners – the Matagarup Elders Group, to ensure the two bridges and approach embankments’ designs reflected and embedded Whadjuk Noongar culture and the Aboriginal heritage of Heirisson Island and the Swan River.

Project Value

$140M $140M

Active transport path width

6 metres 6 metres

Safe Passage for Cyclists & Pedestrians

3300 3300

Innovative design, construction and collaboration

Our team implemented multiple strategies to increase client benefits such as:

Proposed an innovative idea to delink the approach embankments from the piling. This resulted in an overall saving in the construction program of approximately three months.
Designed an alternative approach to the proposed construction sequence for the cable-stayed bridges that resulted in savings in the steel tonnage for the bridge decks.
Used weathering steel for the bridge decks, avoiding the need for painting.
Worked with an Aboriginal advisory group through design and construction to ensure we deliver an iconic, culturally sensitive legacy project that connects with and inspires stakeholders and community.
Identified and innovatively addressed challenging Safety in Design issues related to new lighting system being installed on the stay cable. - Designed the bridges to accommodate marathon running events.
a world first for such lightweight cable supported structures.
The bridges, once constructed, will have the worlds widest bridge decks for cable-stayed bridges with single side cable attachment points.

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The locally manufactured, prefabricated design deploys modern methods of construction to deliver the project efficiently. The video below shows the first module being installed.