Perth Voice Interactive

THE new $9.3 million Seventh Avenue bridge opened this week.

It replaces the rickety 1913 timber bridge, which had an eight-tonne limit and carried around 3500 vehicles a day.

The new bridge spans more than 80 metres and include footpaths, accommodation for four rail lines, bridge guard rails and increased capacity. The old eight-tonne load limit will not apply.

It also includes a public artwork by Jahne Rees, made from timbers from the old bridge.

“This artwork recognises the bridge’s heritage significance and honours the role it has played in moving vehicles and people across the rail line for almost a century,” WA transport minister Dean Nalder says. “The old bridge served us well for more than 100 years.”

Mr Nalder says the new bridge was built on-budget and slightly ahead of schedule.

In April Bayswater city council rejected a 367-signature petition from locals concerned about increased traffic and wanting Seventh Avenue made into a dead end.

The council instead voted to look at installing traffic-calming measures and parking an illuminated trailer that tells drivers how fast they’re going.

Work is due to start on the Third Avenue bridge by the end of 2016, with demolition and construction expected to take eight months.

It is the first phase of a $22m project to replace bridges in the area.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK