Bayswater Subway
The Bayswater Bridge (or Bayswater Subway) is a road under rail bridge near Bayswater railway station in Perth, Western Australia with a low clearance of 3.8 metres (12 ft). It has become well known in Perth and has received significant media coverage for being frequently struck by tall vehicles.[1] The bridge was first proposed in 1898,[2] but was not constructed until 1910, opening on February 14 of that year.[3] In September 2014, flashing low clearance signs were put on the bridge.[4] In May 2019, one of the low clearance signs fell off the bridge, landing on a vehicle and breaking its windscreen.[5] Between when the Public Transport Authority started counting in 2014 and May 2019, the Bayswater Bridge was struck by 36 vehicles.[6] In 2020, the bridge will be replaced[needs update] by a 4.8-metre-high (16 ft) bridge as part of the Forrestfield–Airport link and the revitalisation of Bayswater station.[7]
Despite being the best-known bridge in Perth for being hit, the Bayswater Bridge is not the lowest road-under-rail bridge in Perth. The Sutherland Street bridge, in West Perth has a clearance of 3.7 metres (12 ft),[8] and the Seventh Avenue Bridge, in Maylands had a clearance of 3.3 metres (11 ft) before it was rebuilt.[9]
It is different from the historic railway bridge over the Swan River that existed between 1897 and 1957, which at times had been referred to as the "Bayswater Bridge".[10]
References
- ^ "How Many Days Since The Bayswater Bridge Has Been Hit?".
- ^ "Bayswater Requirements". Western Mail. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
- ^ "Road Board Meetings – Bayswater". The West Australian. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
- ^ Marrapodi, Chenee. "New clearance signs for Bayswater subway". WAtoday. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
- ^ "The Bayswater Bridge fights back: Car left wrecked after sign falls on roof". WAtoday. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
- ^ "Perth's notorious Bayswater bridge, enemy of truck drivers everywhere, claims another victim". ABC News. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
- ^ "Contract awarded for Bayswater train station upgrade, including new 'Bayswater Bridge'". PerthNow. 20 May 2020.
- ^ Allan-Petale, David. "Low clearance, high drama as truck gets stuck at Scitech bridge in West Perth". WAtoday. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
- ^ Wilson, David. Managing Low Clearances under bridges in Perth. Main Roads Western Australia.
- ^ West Australian Newspapers (1957), Workers demolishing the Belmont Railway Bridge, retrieved 25 August 2020
