Perth City Link

Perth City Link is an urban renewal and redevelopment project in Perth, Western Australia.

Artist's impression of the Perth City Link, viewed from the north. Yagan Square is visible on the left, transitioning to the King-Lake Street precincts, with Perth Arena on the far right.

The project – bounded by the Mitchell Freeway, Wellington Street, the Horseshoe Bridge and Roe Street – was conducted on what was formerly land involved in the Perth/City railway yard and dedicated railway property west of Perth railway station. The land was used from the 1880s until the late 1990s by the railways, and by the time of early proposals for the project was no longer being used by the railway.[1][2]

The project involved the sinking of the Fremantle railway line and Wellington Street Bus Station and the subsequent development of the 13.5 hectares (33 acres) of land reclaimed.[3]

Transport

Rail
Construction works to sink the railway line in November 2012

The $360 million rail project was the first stage of the Perth City Link. The scope of works included:

  • Sinking the Fremantle line between William Street and Lake/King Street. This created almost 600 m (2,000 ft) of a new covered section of the Fremantle line.
  • Upgrading Perth Station with new tiling, lighting and services and converting the existing Platform 9 into an island Platform 8/9.
  • Creating a new tunnel under the northern end of the Barrack Street Bridge to service the new Platform 9.
  • Extending the existing Joondalup line tunnel roof from Lake Street to Milligan Street to be in line with the new Fremantle line tunnel.
  • Creating a new pedestrian underpass connecting Perth Underground Station to all the platforms at Perth Station.

Work commenced in 2010 with the project initially scheduled for completion in mid-2014. By early 2013 the project was running six months ahead of schedule.[4][5]

Tunneling commenced on 31 January 2012, with Premier Colin Barnett, Transport Minister Troy Buswell, Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi and Senator Louise Pratt (representing Federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese) taking part in a ceremony in which several documents were placed in a time capsule and buried at the station, to be unearthed in 2031.[6]

After a six-day shutdown, trains began running through the new tunnel on 18 July 2013.[7]

The final part of the project, the pedestrian underpass, was officially opened on 19 December 2013, signaling the completion of the rail project, six months ahead of schedule.[8]

Bus

The $249 million Perth Busport was the second stage of the Perth City Link. It involved the demolition of the Wellington Street Bus Station, which opened in 1973, and the construction of Australia's first dynamic stand allocation underground bus station at the same location. It opened on 17 July 2016.[9]

Precincts

The Arena
Perth Arena

Located at the western end of the site, this precinct centres around the Perth Arena.

King-Lake Street

In late January 2014 Leighton Properties started construction on the King Square precinct on the former Perth Entertainment Centre site. Four office buildings were constructed with Shell Australia, John Holland Group, P&N Bank and HBF as tenants.[10][11] In May 2013, three of the buildings were sold to the Dexus Property Group.[12] The buildings (along with the precinct) were completed in December 2015 and tenanted by early 2016.[13]

Yagan Square
Yagan Square construction works in November 2017

Yagan Square, named after the indigenous warrior, is a 1-hectare (2.5-acre) public space located between the arms of the Horseshoe Bridge.

Previous proposal

In 1967 the government invited private developers, three internationally based, and one domestic group to submit proposals to place the railway underground, releasing 21 hectares (52 acres) for redevelopment. Financing issues saw the project abandoned.[14]

References
  1. Worley (Firm); Perth (W.A. : Municipality). Council (2003), Perth Yard railway lowering concept : Mitchell Freeway to Perth Central Station : report for preliminary design of option A, Worley, retrieved 3 June 2014
  2. "A sinking vision for Perth rail.(Local)", The Australian (National, Australia), News Limited: 004, 6 March 2003, retrieved 3 June 2014
  3. "Perth City Link: Reconnecting the City". Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  4. Kerr, Peter (25 March 2013). "City Link on time and budget". The West Australian. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  5. "April 2013 works update". Perth City Link Rail Alliance. Archived from the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  6. "Work begins on $360m city link project". PerthNow. 31 January 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  7. Perth and Fremantle train services return to normal after shutdown ABC News 18 July 2013
  8. December 2013 works update Perth City Link
  9. "Opening of Perth Busport and changes across the bus network". Transperth. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
  10. Experience a Different Side to the City Kings Square
  11. Shell Australia expands floor space in Perth's KS2 Property Observer 28 May 2014
  12. King Square Buildings Sold Leighton Properties 6 May 2013
  13. Kings Square 1 now complete John Holland 18 December 2015
  14. Public Transport Authority (March, 2010) Perth City Link Master Plan: Lowering the Fremantle Railway in Perth
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