In the lead up to the State Election, the Liberal Party is committing to invest $112.5 million to effectively duplicate Shelley Bridge, to remove painful bottlenecks along Leach Highway.
The funding allocation is half the anticipated cost of the works, with the remainder expected to be funded in partnership with the Federal Government and other stakeholders
Announcing the commitment, Liberal leader Libby Mettam said Shelley Bridge had long been a source of frustration for locals and anyone travelling between Fremantle and Perth Airport.
“This is a shovel ready, long-overdue project which will significantly ease congestion on Leach Highway and local roads which have been left to carry the burden from those trying to avoid this bottleneck,” Ms Mettam said.
“With more than 50,000 vehicle movements every day, the bridge is the only merge point where Leach Highway reduces from 3 down to 2 lanes each way. This duplication will remove the bottleneck, and keep commuters moving and will provide a much-needed crossing point for cyclists and pedestrians.”
Ms Mettam acknowledged the efforts of Liberal candidate for Riverton Amanda Spencer-Teo, who she said had been running a petition to build support for the duplication of Shelley Bridge to address safety issues.
“This commitment is a direct result of her advocacy, and evidence of Amanda’s ability to listen and deliver for her local community,” Ms Mettam said. “The only solution offered by Labor has been to install yet another set of traffic lights along Leach Highway, a project that has not been supported by major stakeholders and the community.”
Ms Spencer-Teo said her petition broke 1,000 signatures within weeks, highlighting the community’s support for this long overdue duplication.
“This commitment is great news for not only those loving in the Riverton electorate, but also for anyone travelling to and from Fremantle, Curtin University, the Welshpool industrial area and Perth Airport,” she said.
“Residents and businesses alike deserve reliable infrastructure, and this commitment will ensure that Shelley Bridge remains a safe, efficient and future-proofed crossing for decades to come.”
Ms Mettam added that the WA Liberals were committed to investing in critical infrastructure that improved connectivity, reduced congestion and supported economic growth.
However Member for Riverton Dr Jags Krishnan said the Liberals had no plans for transport in WA and had opposed key initiatives to improve our roads.
“They opposed Westport, which will take hundreds of trucks off Leach Highway,” he said.
“When WA Labor and Anthony Albanese committed to the widening of the Kwinana Freeway, the Liberals also opposed it, despite their Federal Leader Peter Dutton backing it.
“The opening of the new Manning Road on-ramp to Kwinana Freeway has alleviated traffic pressure on Shelley Bridge but as always, we’ll continue to monitor our local road network and make improvements as required.”
