❓ Minister Day updates the house on the Elizabeth Quay project's progress, highlighting the pedestrian bridge design, dredging commencement, and Riverside Drive diversion. He contrasts the project's success with the opposition's prior criticisms.
AnsweredQoN 3Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ELIZABETH
QUAY
3. Ms E. EVANGEL to the
Minister for Planning:
I am aware that January marked another milestone for the
Liberal–National government's flagship Elizabeth Quay project.
With this in mind, can the minister please update the house on the progress of
this project that will transform the way people interact with the Swan River?
QUAY
3. Ms E. EVANGEL to the
Minister for Planning:
I am aware that January marked another milestone for the
Liberal–National government's flagship Elizabeth Quay project.
With this in mind, can the minister please update the house on the progress of
this project that will transform the way people interact with the Swan River?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. This project is in her
electorate and it is one that I know she, unlike her predecessor, is very
supportive of. It is the case that we reached another significant milestone
with the Elizabeth Quay project, which has been making substantial progress in
recent times. In late January, I had the pleasure of releasing the design of
the very important pedestrian bridge, which, if members missed it, is depicted
in this diagram. That is the night scene. The member for Perth might like to
hold that up.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Girrawheen!
Mr J.H.D. DAY : The
pedestrian bridge is a key element of the Elizabeth Quay project. It will
ensure that there is connectivity around the whole project for pedestrians and
also for cyclists, including those who enjoy the ''around-the-bridges''
run. The bridge has been designed by the substantial design, planning and
engineering company Arup. It will be approximately 110 metres in length. It
will have a five-metre wide timber deck, with open steel balustrading, and it
will provide a 5.2-metre clearance above the Swan River, which will allow most
moderate-sized boats to enter the inlet. The double arch design and the feature
lighting will provide an artistic element. It will be, I think, a very elegant
structure and will provide uninterrupted views from the bridge across the river
to the South Perth foreshore.
Other substantial steps that have been reached include the
commencement of dredging to deepen the river to provide the appropriate inlets
into the Elizabeth Quay development for ferries and other boats using the
precinct. Construction of the bund out into the river to allow the construction
of the inlet itself has now been completed, as members will see. Of course,
there has also been the diversion from Riverside Drive. A 300-metre section was
diverted just after Australia Day. Contrary to the predictions of doom and
gloom and catastrophe by the opposition, I think most motorists have now
adapted to the change. Those still using this route understand the reason for
the diversion. More motorists are using the expanded capacity of the Graham
Farmer tunnel, which has all been part of this project. We also had predictions
of catastrophe from the opposition that widening the tunnel to three lanes was
going to cause disaster. That certainly has not occurred. Indeed, the tunnel is
operating very effectively with three lanes in each direction, which is as it
was always designed to ultimately do. The Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority,
Main Roads Western Australia and the City of Perth are very cooperatively
working together to monitor the performance of the network to ensure that
traffic flow is optimised.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Girrawheen, you will be pleased to know that you are the first
person off the rank; I call you to order for the first time.
Ms M.M. Quirk :
Nice haircut, Mr Speaker.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, member for Girrawheen.
Mr J.H.D. DAY : I
know the opposition has a major sense of embarrassment about this project. The
opposition opposed it during the election campaign last year and lost not only
the election campaign, but also the argument—substantially. Its
discomfort is now very evident. The reality is that towards the end of next
year all Western Australians and visitors will have the opportunity to visit
the Elizabeth Quay development to enjoy the ambience, the boardwalks, the
cafes, the public parks and the other facilities that will be created. This
project has been talked about for 30 to 40 years; under this government it is
now becoming a reality.
electorate and it is one that I know she, unlike her predecessor, is very
supportive of. It is the case that we reached another significant milestone
with the Elizabeth Quay project, which has been making substantial progress in
recent times. In late January, I had the pleasure of releasing the design of
the very important pedestrian bridge, which, if members missed it, is depicted
in this diagram. That is the night scene. The member for Perth might like to
hold that up.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Girrawheen!
Mr J.H.D. DAY : The
pedestrian bridge is a key element of the Elizabeth Quay project. It will
ensure that there is connectivity around the whole project for pedestrians and
also for cyclists, including those who enjoy the ''around-the-bridges''
run. The bridge has been designed by the substantial design, planning and
engineering company Arup. It will be approximately 110 metres in length. It
will have a five-metre wide timber deck, with open steel balustrading, and it
will provide a 5.2-metre clearance above the Swan River, which will allow most
moderate-sized boats to enter the inlet. The double arch design and the feature
lighting will provide an artistic element. It will be, I think, a very elegant
structure and will provide uninterrupted views from the bridge across the river
to the South Perth foreshore.
Other substantial steps that have been reached include the
commencement of dredging to deepen the river to provide the appropriate inlets
into the Elizabeth Quay development for ferries and other boats using the
precinct. Construction of the bund out into the river to allow the construction
of the inlet itself has now been completed, as members will see. Of course,
there has also been the diversion from Riverside Drive. A 300-metre section was
diverted just after Australia Day. Contrary to the predictions of doom and
gloom and catastrophe by the opposition, I think most motorists have now
adapted to the change. Those still using this route understand the reason for
the diversion. More motorists are using the expanded capacity of the Graham
Farmer tunnel, which has all been part of this project. We also had predictions
of catastrophe from the opposition that widening the tunnel to three lanes was
going to cause disaster. That certainly has not occurred. Indeed, the tunnel is
operating very effectively with three lanes in each direction, which is as it
was always designed to ultimately do. The Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority,
Main Roads Western Australia and the City of Perth are very cooperatively
working together to monitor the performance of the network to ensure that
traffic flow is optimised.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Girrawheen, you will be pleased to know that you are the first
person off the rank; I call you to order for the first time.
Ms M.M. Quirk :
Nice haircut, Mr Speaker.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, member for Girrawheen.
Mr J.H.D. DAY : I
know the opposition has a major sense of embarrassment about this project. The
opposition opposed it during the election campaign last year and lost not only
the election campaign, but also the argument—substantially. Its
discomfort is now very evident. The reality is that towards the end of next
year all Western Australians and visitors will have the opportunity to visit
the Elizabeth Quay development to enjoy the ambience, the boardwalks, the
cafes, the public parks and the other facilities that will be created. This
project has been talked about for 30 to 40 years; under this government it is
now becoming a reality.
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