Causeway Bridges

Statement of Significance

AESTHETIC VALUE
The Causeway Bridges provide significant enduring and readily identifiable features illustrating strong and purposeful design in the most modem style at the time of construction. This applies particularly to the abutments and balustrading (Criteria 1.1 and 1.4). The bridges and associated landscape areas are of significant landmark quality and the aesthetics of the bridges have been carefully designed to blend with the river and shoreline environment (Criteria 1.3).

HISTORIC VALUE

The Causeway is historically significant because of its importance as the first (and still) major road link between Perth and the eastern suburbs and Albany Highway. Its importance as a crossing over the Swan River is related to the perseverance since early settlement of local engineers to create an enduring solution to the river crossing problems (Criteria 2.2. and 2.4).

SCIENTIFIC OR EDUCATIONAL VALUE

The Causeway, as it is today,represents a significant technical achievement in providing a durable engineering solution to bridging the river, providing navigable river channels and alleviating river flooding (Criteria 3.3)

SOCIAL VALUE

The Causeway makes a strong contribution to the sense of place of the Perth community, creating a major entry gateway to the city (Criteria 4.2). The associated environs of foreshore and Heirisson Island provide exceptional facilities for public enjoyment and recreational activities (Criteria 4.1).

Physical Description

(Causeway -Raised road across low or wet place or piece of water).

The present Causeway was constructed in the period I 946 to 1952, replacing earlier crossings over the Swan River and is the main route for traffic coming from an easterly direction into Perth's central business district.

The Causeway provides the important east west link for traffic in the central Perth area connecting to the central business district, to Riverside Drive leading to Mounts Bay Road and the western districts and to the Kwinana and Mitchell Freeway system.

Each of the Causeway bridges is of similar construction, although of dissimilar length, with a reinforced concrete road decking and welding steel plates and girders supported from pier foundations in the river. A feature is the balustrading, together with abutment piers and lighting standards on the pilasters of the balustrading, which all provide a balanced aesthetic appearance on the bridges from both the road and river.

The eastern bridge is 224.72 metres in length and the western bridge is 114.6 metres. The bridge decking has a clearance of 3.96 metres above summer water level at the river channels. The balustrades were precast on site of reinforced concrete with an exposed aggregate finish in panels with four to each span between piers.

The Causeway bridges provide for three lanes of traffic in each direction (which includes busway lanes) and a 2.4 metre wide pedestrian footway on the downstream side , resulting in a total width of 18.9 metres. There are traffic handling "circuses"at each end as part of the approaches to the bridges.

The bridges provide pedestrian access over the river and connect to Heirisson Island with extensive landscaping over reclaimed river areas at each end adjacent to the Swan River. These areas are popular public passive recreational areas which enhance the attractiveness of the bridges.
The First Causeway.

Although two alternatives for a bridge over the Swan River were considered in the early 1830s (the other being at the Narrows), the Causeway was chosen in order to provide improved access to the agricultural areas then being
opened. In 1838 construction was commenced on a road leading to the Causeway and in 1839 the first designs were prepared by John Septimus Roe, Surveyor-General, with modifications by Henry Trigg and Major F.C. Irwin. The construction costs were estimated at 1800 pounds sterling. Notice for the opening of the First Causeway appeared in the Perth Gazette on 24th May, 1843.

The completed Causeway consisted of two timber bridges over the main river channels connected by a series of causeways over the islands and river shallows.
The Second Causeway.

Above average rainfall in June 1862 resulted in flooding in the Swan River. During July the Causeway Bridge was overtopped to a depth of between 2.1 metres and 2.4 metres of water, resulting in the destruction of part of the structure necessitating rebuilding.

The rebuilding of the Causeway structures, together with quarrying and boatin g the stone and manufacture of ironwork, was carried out by convict labour and was constructed on the same alignment as the first bridges, util ising where possible materials from the first bridges. Timber was again used for the reconstruction with the bridges being raised in the order of l metre in height and a third bridge span was added. (When the piles of the first bridge were drawn no decay of any kind had taken place. This showed the superiority of Swan jarrah for engineering purposes). The eastern, central and western bridges were 322 metres, 82.3 metres and 134 metres in length. The bridge roadings were 5.5 metres wide.

To provide for river traffic the western bridge included a raised opening with a clear height of 5.5 metres above the water and 9.1 metres wide spanned by timber trusses supporting the roadway.

The rebuilt bridge opened for traffic in August 1875. Modification s to Causeway c. 1899 to 1946.
With the rapid increase in Perth's population from the 1890s gold boom and the development of Victoria Park immediately to the east, it became necessary to increase the traffic carrying capacity of the Causeway.

In 1899 the road was widened and a footpath added and service pipelines were placed on separate support structures adjacent to the bridge. In 1903 a new pile structure was constructed on the upstream side of the Causeway to provide for tram tracks resulting in the bridges being widened to 8.3 metres.

In 1932 further piles were driven on the downstream side of the Causeway resulting in the width being increased to
11.3 metres to provide additional capacity resulting from the increase in traffic. Bridge Engineer - E.W.C. Godfrey.
In March 1928 seven engineering appointments were made including E.W.C. Godfrey as bridge engineer who was responsible until his retirement in 1957 for the design of all road bridges in Western Australia and the construction supervision of all major bridges including the design and construction of the Causeway work. As a bridge engineer Mr. Godfrey must be considered to be outstanding with most of the structures taken by him still remaining. In addition to the design and supervision of the work associated with the Perth Causeway other metropolitan work included the Canning River Bridge in 1936 and North Fremantle Bridge in 1939, also the Narrows Bridge and interchange.

The Third Causeway.

Prior to the widening of the Causeway in l 932 construction of a third structure was formulated and a plan dated February 8tl' 1927 contains details of river reclamation and a new Causeway. However, construction of a new bridge was not commenced, the reason no doubt being the advent of the 1929-33 economic depression and then, with the commencement of the Second World War, a new Causeway was out of the question. However, the planning continued but in 1940 Mr.Godfrey advised that the structure was approaching the end of its life and provision for a new structure was becoming imperative. In 1943 he prepared a design for a new Causeway with the bridges constructed in either reinforced concrete or structural steel with a reinforced concrete deck.

In 1943 repairs were carried out to make the bridges safe. In l 944 Mr. Godfrey presented an extensive report outlining the background on the condition of the existing bridges and proposal s for a new Causeway.

It was to have a roadway width of 18.9 metres with one tram lane and two vehicular lanes in each direction, and one footway on the downstream side, all services to be carried under the footway and decking. Clearance for river craft to be 13 feet above normal summer level. The cost would vary between 413,000 and 506,000 pounds sterling.

In May 1945 it was decided that the construction of the new bridges could not be justified during a war with such shortages of men and material s. Progress was centred on the river reclamation details and land acquisition. It was recommended by the City of Perth Town Clerk that trams be eliminated from the new Causeway.

In a statement by the Minister for Works, A.G.R. Hawke, it was announced that river reclamation would commence in
October, 1946 and the new Causeway would not be completed for a further 3 and a half years. Hence a project which had been under consideration for over 20 years was authorised to proceed to completion having been delayed by the 1930s depression and the World War II aftermath.

The location of the new Causeway adjacent to the earlier structure simplified connections to the existing road system at either end, namely Great Eastern, Canning and Albany Highways at the eastern end and Hay Street, Adelaide Terrace and Riverside Drive at the western end.

The era for bridge building at the Causeway has extended over 150 years with the first structure lasting 20 years, the second structure being continually maintained , modified and subject to periodic reconstruction until the Third Causeway for which planning was first initiated in 1927 and fmally completed with the opening on 19th September,

History

Assessment 1998
Construction 1946 - 52
Architect/designer: E.W. Godfrey, Bridge Engineer
The area of the Causeway was occupied by the Nyungar Aborigines and this association continued after white settlement with a memorial statue to the prominent leader Yagan erected on Heirisson Island.

The Causeway bridges provided a key link to the transport network developed east of Perth connecting to the southern areas along the Albany and Bunbury Highways and through Guildford to the eastern and northern inland area. Drummonds Bridge was constructed in 1834 and the Helena River Bridge at Guildford at the same time as the reconstruction of the Causeway in 1865.

The first white man to site the flats of the area now bridged by the Causeway was William Vlamingh on 4th January, 1696 , when he sailed up the river and landed his boats. He named the Swan River for the flocks of black swans be saw at that time. The next white man to sight the flats was Midshipman Francois Heirisson, in 1801, and who dragged his boats over the flats in order to proceed up the river. The next to sight the flats was Captain Stirling in 1827, two years before he returned to found the Colony.

Although the shallow flats impeded progress up the river, the islands made the crossing of the river much easier for the early settlers and it was not long before a bridge crossing was being urged. The first tenders were called for construction of a bridge at the Perth or western end of the crossing in the Perth Gazette on 12th September, 1840.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.