Perth Voice Interactive

DEMOLITION of the historic Seventh Avenue bridge in Maylands will start next week.

It was closed Wednesday in preparation for the work.

Traffic will be diverted via the Third Avenue bridge and the Caledonian Avenue level crossing.

There will be a reduced speed limit of 40kph in the vicinity of the Seventh Avenue bridge during demolition.

The new $9.3 million bridge is expected to be ready next May.

WA Main Roads spokesperson Sam Xanthis says the bridge carried just 3500 vehicles a day and no significant congestion is expected during closure.

“We have been widely advertising the closure in advance and expect many road users to take an alternative route,” she says.

Bayswater city council and local community groups have selected a public artwork to commemorate the bridge’s historic past.

Main Roads refused to release an image of the chosen work, but local Dominic Cuscuna says it will incorporate timber from the original bridge, constructed in 1913 as a wooden trestle and deck bridge to carry horses and carts, vehicles and pedestrians over the railway line.

The replacement will span more than 80 metres and include footpaths, accommodation for four rail lines, bridge guard rails and increased capacity.

The Third Avenue bridge in Mount Lawley will be demolished as soon as the Seventh Avenue bridge is complete, and should take eight months to complete.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK