Swan River Crossings | Main Roads Western Australia

What’s happening

Walyalup Bridge opened on 1 November 2026

Walyalup Bridge opened on Sunday 1 November with a wonderful community celebration. The event attracted nearly 20,000 people who enjoyed the opportunity to walk across the bridge before it opened to traffic late on Sunday evening. We thank everyone for joining in this historic occasion.

Heritage and culture have been embedded within the design of the new crossing, with storytelling incorporated through architecture and urban landscape design, public art, feature lighting, signage and wayfinding.

The surrounding area will also acknowledge the evolution of Fremantle's river crossings, including through the retention of timber piles from the former Fremantle Traffic Bridge and interpretation of remnants associated with earlier crossings.

See the Design Story fact sheets below for more details.

Fact Sheets

Fact Sheet - Public Art: The Waugyl (Rainbow Serpent) - PDF (238 KB)
Fact Sheet - Public Art: Aligia Dwert Biddi (The Dingo Trail) - PDF (3.22 MB)
Fact Sheet - Telling the River's Stories - PDF (6.01 MB)
Fact Sheet - Architecture, Urban and Landscape Design - PDF (1.09 MB)
Fact Sheet - Design vision and future of the crossing - PDF (3.39 MB)

Lighting program testing continuing

Finishing works will continue on the bridge and surrounding area after the opening, and the feature lighting program will be finalised during that time. Testing started in mid-September and will continue after the bridge opens.

An innovative and unique program of architectural and feature lighting has been prepared to celebrate stories of the crossing that date back thousands of years, reflecting four broad heritage themes:

The cultural and spiritual significance of the river landscape.
The history of engineering innovation and river crossings (bridges).
The river crossing as a gateway between north and south of the river.

The signals and markers that have guided movement along the river for generations.

Road Network Update

Following the bridge opening, the temporary road network changes made prior to the bridge closure will be lifted, including access to and from Fremantle via Canning Highway, and other initiatives that helped keep the network flowing during closure.

See our fact sheet for details.

Interactive Map

Explore the road network changes »

FAQs

Why are you temporarily closing Canning Highway to east-west traffic at the intersection with Stirling Highway?

The closure is needed to manage increased traffic volumes and maintain flow through the area during the closure of the Fremantle Traffic Bridge. Stirling Highway is a key freight route to and from Fremantle Port, carrying around 38,000 vehicles daily. When the Fremantle Traffic Bridge closes, an additional 24,000 vehicles from Queen Victoria Street, including key bus services, will be redirected to Stirling Highway, placing significant pressure on surrounding intersections.

The intersection of Stirling Highway and Canning Highway is already complex, with 11 competing movements from freight, general traffic, buses, pedestrians, and cyclists. Due to land constraints, the intersection cannot be widened, so the only way to improve traffic flow is to reduce the number of conflicting movements.

To prioritise traffic moving over the Stirling Bridge, general east-west movements on Canning Highway and the right turn from Stirling Highway northbound to Canning Highway eastbound are being temporarily removed. Buses will continue to operate east-west, using new bus-only lanes in each direction to maintain public transport reliability. Remaining road space will be reallocated to cater for increased left and right turn volumes onto Stirling Highway.

Alternative routes are available for general traffic, and Main Roads will continue to monitor and adjust signal timings in the area to optimise flow.

Why can’t you open Canning Highway at Stirling Highway outside peak hours, or at night?

We are proposing significant modifications to the road layout in this location, including the installation of red asphalt and line marking for bus lanes, and the repositioning of traffic islands and traffic signal poles. Given these are physical modifications, and only a single approach lane can be accommodated east-west through the intersection, it will not be possible to re-open Canning Highway east-west to general traffic outside of peak times, or at night.

If there is an incident on Stirling Bridge, or an emergency in the surrounding area, how will you manage access?

We have worked with emergency services (Police, Fire, Ambulance) to undertake scenario planning for incidents or accidents on Stirling Highway. For the duration of the closure, incident response crews, including tow trucks, will be located on Stirling Highway at either end of the bridge to respond promptly to any incidents that occur on the road network.

What improvements for cyclists and pedestrians have been considered for the traffic bridge closure (given there is only a shared path on Stirling Bridge)?

A temporary detour has been operating for pedestrians and cyclists for several months, via existing footpaths and Stirling Bridge. To improve safety, an additional footpath is being installed behind the bus stop at the Canning Highway and East Street intersection.

We will continue to liaise with WestCycle and Department of Transport (Urban Mobility) to identify further opportunities to maximise safety.

Will the project pay compensation to businesses affected by a loss of trade?

The project is working hard to engage with local businesses to ensure the impacts of the closure can be mitigated as far as possible. The team has made contact with over 1,200 businesses to-date.

Engagement is also ongoing with the Fremantle Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Development Corporation and the LGAs to ensure Fremantle remains accessible at all times and that locals and visitors can navigate the changes.

Compensation claims will be considered on a case-by-case basis, in line with established practice.

Why are the right turns at Stirling Highway/ Marmion Street northbound and at Stirling Highway/ Canning Highway northbound being temporarily removed?

These are temporary measures to improve traffic flow by prioritising southbound traffic once the Fremantle Traffic Bridge closes and traffic redistributes to Stirling Highway. The number of vehicles using both turns is relatively low compared to the higher volumes travelling north and south on Stirling Highway. By removing these turning movements, we reduce the number of competing traffic phases at the intersections, helping to keep traffic moving as smoothly as possible over the Stirling Bridge and minimising delays across the wider road network.

Once the new bridge opens, a green arrow will be installed for the northbound right turn into Marmion Street to improve safety for turning vehicles. Additionally, pedestrian Walk/Don’t Walk lanterns will be installed on all crossings at this intersection prior to the bridge closure, providing another permanent safety improvement for the community.

Once the new bridge opens, the right turn at Stirling Highway / Canning Highway northbound will be returned to its original configuration.

Will these modifications be retained after the new bridge is open?

Modifications to restrict movements at intersections are temporary; these will be removed after the closure. However, some intersection improvements such as the installation of green arrows for right-turns, pedestrian Walk/Don’t Walk lanterns, and CCTV cameras will be retained permanently. This will provide legacy safety benefits for the community and an improved ability for Main Roads’ Road Network Operations Centre to monitor the operation of the road network.

Will you provide additional public transport during the bridge closure period?

The State Government has announced a series of measures to make it easier for people to consider alternative modes of travel during bridge closure. These include:

Four additional train services
Three new dedicated school bus special services for Iona Presentation College, St Hilda’s Anglican School and Presbyterian Ladies’ College to reduce significant car usage to and from these schools over Stirling Bridge in the morning and afternoon peak. Additional buses will be brought in to support key bus routes in maintaining the timetable (e.g. Routes 107, 998, 999).bus services.
Additional free parking bays for SmartRider users.
Cheaper public transport, through the introduction of the new flat fare.
Free travel zone for bus services between Duoro Road and Fremantle Station.

For more information, please view our Transport Options Fact Sheet for more information.

Can freight / trucks travel outside peak traffic to on Stirling Highway to allow commuters and school traffic through?

Fremantle Ports is working with the freight industry to determine opportunities outside peak period operations. Importantly, freight accounts for 15% of traffic using Stirling Bridge, so it is critical for all road users to consider alternatives.

Has Main Roads undertaken consultation on the proposed changes?

Main Roads and the Fremantle Bridges Alliance have both engaged extensively with local stakeholders and the community for the duration of this project.

In relation to the planned closure, the team has:

Door knocked over 1,200 local businesses
Met with local schools in the broader Fremantle area, including the western suburbs
Hosted meetings with residents’ groups
Hosted workshops with Local Government and the freight industry
Worked closely with other State Government departments and agencies

Feedback from all parties has been carefully considered and incorporated into our closure planning wherever possible. Engagement and awareness raising will continue through to the end of the year.

Scope

Heritage and Design

Funding

Project Publications

Roadworks

Fremantle Traffic Bridge
1 February 2026 to Late 2026
Road closure
Travel Map
- Fremantle Traffic Bridge closed to all traffic in both directions
- Please use Stirling Highway to travel between Fremantle and North Fremantle.
Canning Highway and Queen Victoria Street Intersection
From 2 August 2024 to late 2026 24/7
Road closure
Travel Map
- No right turn onto Fremantle Traffic Bridge
- Closure of the left turn slip lane from Fremantle Traffic Bridge onto Canning Highway (heading south).
- The single lane on Queen Victoria Street heading south will cater for both left and right turn movements onto Canning Highway.
- Detour
Beach Street from Queen Victoria Street to East Street
From 15 April 2024 to late 2026 24/7
Ongoing
Travel Map
- Vehicle, pedestrian and cyclist access is closed between west end of the carpark and under the Fremantle Traffic Bridge.
- Vehicle Detour
- Path Detour

Path Detours

Fremantle Traffic Bridge from Podger Lane to Canning Highway
From 28 January 2025 to late 2026 24/7
Ongoing
Travel Map
- Fremantle Traffic Bridge shared path closed
- Signed detour via Stirling Highway
- Alternatively, please take bus numbers 998, 999 and 107 to safely cross the bridge.
Beach Street from Queen Victoria Street to East Street
From 15 April 2024 to late 2026 24/7
Ongoing
Travel Map
- Vehicle, pedestrian and cyclist access is closed between west end of the carpark and under the Fremantle Traffic Bridge.
- Vehicle Detour
- Path Detour
Queen Victoria Street from Tydeman Road to the Fremantle Traffic Bridge
From 4 June 2024 until late 2026 24/7
Ongoing
Travel Map
- Principal Shared Path (PSP) closed between Tydeman Road and the Fremantle Traffic Bridge (behind National Storage)
- Detour

Pre-development and concept work
June 2019 to December 2020
Alliance contract awarded
January 2021
Detailed design development
July 2021 to November 2023
Construction
2024 - 2026

Building Fremantle’s new traffic bridge to improve journeys for all road and river users

Watch the Bridge Animation Video »

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Swan River Crossings Fremantle

What’s happening

Walyalup Bridge opened on 1 November 2026

Lighting program testing continuing

Road Network Update

Interactive Map

Construction and project updates

Sustainability Reports

Project information

Community Consultation Summaries

Fact Sheets

Videos

Media Statements

Funding

Roadworks

Path Detours

Building Fremantle’s new traffic bridge to improve journeys for all road and river users

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project updates

Acknowledgement of Country

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