New bus-only bridge for CBD

A new $32.1 million bus-only bridge will be built in the CBD to ease congestion and get buses out of the city faster, with construction set to begin early next year.

The 110-metre bridge will connect the intersection of Charles Street and Newcastle Street to the existing James Street bus bridge over the Graham Farmer Freeway, behind Perth Arena.

The Department of Transport has estimated the new bridge will cut travel time by up to six minutes across 12 bus routes per weekday for about 16,000 passengers, while improving congestion through Fitzgerald Street south of Vincent Street, which is a primary northern entry into the CBD and Northbridge areas.

As part of the project, the Cleaver Street and Newcastle Street intersection will be modified to allow buses to access Cleaver Street.

Buses will then turn into Cleaver Street from Newcastle Street, instead of Carr Street.

The project also involves the construction of bus lanes down the middle of Charles Street, extending north from the Newcastle Street intersection to Carr Street.

Southbound, the bus lane will start near Cowle Street through to the new bridge.

The Mitchell Freeway southbound exit to James Street will also be closed, with the underpass to be used only by buses.

A new Northbridge freeway exit will depart Mitchell Freeway southbound at the same point and will run on the western side, parallel to the existing Wellington Street freeway exit, and will connect with Roe Street between the Mitchell Freeway southbound Wellington Street exit bridge and the shared Charles Street, Graham Farmer Freeway and Mitchell Freeway southbound entrance bridge.

Transport Minister Dean Nalder said for motorists, the new bridge means 1,000 fewer buses on the key road corridor a day, clearing the way for smoother traffic.

He also said the state government will be introducing more high-frequency bus services on major corridors like Alexander Drive.

The project is expected to be completed by early 2017.