Paramatta Light Rail to Get Six New Bridges

Six new bridges are being built whilst another five are being revised as part of the first phase of the Paramatta Light Rail Project, the NSW Government has announced.

Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said the bridges at Westmead, Parramatta, Camellia, Rosehill and Dundas will support dual-track light rail as well as an active transport link.

A former rail bridge at Kissing Point Road in Dundas converted to active transport alongside a new three-span bridge for light rail;

Replacing the James Hardie Underpass in Camellia with a brand new bridge for light rail and the active transport link;

Enclosing support structures for Victoria Road Bridge and Pennant Hills Road Bridge in concrete for protection;

Altering the Adderton Road Bridge, Telopea, to support active transport;

Replacing Vineyard Creek Bridge and Leamington Road Underpass, both in Dundas and recently demolished, with new bridges for light rail and active transport;

Constructing a new two-span bridge for light rail and active transport across Parramatta River alongside the present Bridge Road Bridge in the Cumberland precinct;

A new 417-tonne steel arch bridge over James Ruse Drive at Rosehill (the biggest bridge construction on the project).

Member for Parramatta Geoff Lee said light rail will be integrated into a number of historic bridges.

The 1839 Lennox Bridge in Parramatta’s CBD, for example, will support light rail and pedestrians instead of car traffic.

Meanwhile, the Parramatta River Bridge at Camellia which was erected in 1895 and altered in 1995 will be extended to accommodate an active transport link.

Lee said the bridges had been designed and engineered to pay respect to the past whilst meanwhile advocating new technology and infrastructure.

Construction impacts upon the community were also being reduced by use of prefabricated building materials which can be installed over just a few days.

The new and upgraded bridges are part of the first phase of the Paramatta Light Rail Network, which is predicted to open in 2023 and will link Westmead to the West and Carlingford in the north-east via a two-way track spanning twelve kilometres.

The route will link Parramatta’s CBD and train station to the Westmead Health Precinct, Cumberland Hospital Precinct, the Bankwest Stadium, the Camellia Town Centre, the new science and technology museum Powerhouse Parramatta, the private and social housing redevelopment at Telopea, Rosehill Gardens Racecourse and three Western Sydney University campuses.

By 2026, approximately 28,000 people will utilize Parramatta Light Rail each day and an approximate 130,000 people will be residing within walking distance of light rail stops.