The WA Government has announced that an alliance of three companies - Georgiou Group, BMD Constructions, and BG&E - will build a new bridge over the Fitzroy River in the Kimberley region. The old bridge was badly damaged by Tropical Cyclone Ellie in late 2022 and requires major repairs.
The new bridge will be a two-lane structure with a pedestrian pathway and will connect to the existing Great Northern Highway. It will improve the safety and reliability of road access for the local community and the freight industry.
The design work for the new bridge is progressing, with site work on track to begin in April 2023, subject to weather and environmental and heritage approvals. The project is funded by the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements and is expected to be completed by mid-2024.
The alliance will work closely with WA Main Roads and the local stakeholders to deliver the project with minimal disruption to the traffic and the environment.
The Minister for Planning Rita Saffioti said that the contract finalisation marks a “major milestone” in reconnecting east and west Kimberley following the flood damage.
“We know how critical this bridge is to reconnecting East and West Kimberley, which is why we fast-tracked the procurement process, with the establishment of the Fitzroy Bridge Alliance being achieved incredibly fast for a project of such size and complexity,” she said.
The new bridge will also create job opportunities in the region, which will support the local economy and the recovery from the cyclone impact.
The Fitzroy River Bridge project is a significant infrastructure development for the Kimberley region, and it will provide numerous benefits for the road users and the community.
