The WA Government will spend $145,000 upgrading a footbridge over the Eastern Railway 70 kilometres north-east of Perth, a year after it closed the bridge to pedestrians due to safety risks.
The Duke Street footbridge over the freight railway near Toodyay was closed in May 2018 due to safety concerns, forcing pedestrians to instead use an at-grade level crossing.
In August the state’s Public Transport Authority said the bridge would be demolished.
But new funding announced this week will see the bridge repaired, and a new controlled crossing added at grade, to allow for access for people with a disability.
PTA said a Memorandum of Understanding had been signed with local council, for it to take control of the bridge once upgrades are complete.
The $145,000 in state funding will help repair critical parts of the bridge, including replacing parts of the pier columns, repairing mesh inserts on the handrails and broken railings, and replacing degraded parts of the bridge decking.
Work is expected to begin in September.
In the meantime PTA has made repairs to the existing at-grade crossing at the station, and said it plans to install a new crossing further west, which will have better sightlines and be compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act.