Fremantle Traffic Bridge commuters face surprisingly smooth run despite start of 12-month closureBrooke Rolfe and Matt ZisPerthNowMon, 2 February 2026 1:39PMCommentsComments
The closure of the Fremantle traffic bridge appears to have passed its first major test, with commuters who were bracing for a traffic crush experiencing a relatively ‘normal’ Monday morning drive along Perth’s major highways.
PerthNow undertook a peak-hour drive from South Fremantle to North Fremantle to test the traffic, finding it took only a few minutes longer that it would have when the ageing bridge, which is closed for up to 12 months while a replacement crossing is constructed, was operating.
In what would have come as a shock to drivers dreading their journey across the Swan River, traffic flow was unexpectedly smooth on the second day — and first weekday — of the bridge shutdown.
While commuters may have expected their journeys across Stirling Bridge to be fraught with peak hour chaos, given the closure of the other bridge coincided with school returning, the reality was that it hardly took longer than any other day.
The heaviest of the traffic was stacked down Canning Highway about 8am as cars queued waiting to turn right onto Stirling Bridge.
Still, the 1.3km journey from Ampol Fremantle East to John Street, on the other side of the bridge, only took 11 and-a-half minutes – much quicker than the feared 30 minutes.
Digital screens shown to cars travelling west along Canning Highway featured messaging that suggested drivers took an alternative route and to be warned of a change in traffic conditions. Maybe they did.
Ahead of the closure, anxious locals feared unbearable disruption would blow out travel time and put people off visiting Fremantle businesses.
Its a small sample size so far but early indications suggest the measures put in place by Main Roads WA, including effective public messaging, may have softened the blow.
Among the changes made ahead of the closure was 20 intersections being modified, and the allocation of two on-site traffic accident response teams.
Cars can no longer travel east and west on Canning Highway at the Stirling Highway intersection and from turning right from Stirling Highway travelling north to Canning.
Commuters were also encouraged to utilise public transport, with bikes now allowed on peak time trains between Fremantle and North Fremantle stations, and more parking at Fremantle Station, additional services and a fare-free zone along sections of South Terrace was introduced.
There was scepticism from East Fremantle council last year over whether the State Government had done enough in its preparation for the bridge’s closure, criticising a lack of focus on walking and cycling options.
Some concerns had been mediated by the introduction of improved pathways leading onto Stirling Bridge, but Fremantle Mayor Ben Lawver flagged possible interventions as issues arose.
“One of the things that we’ve asked State Government for, that we think is absolutely reasonable, is to kind of let us deal with things as they pop up quickly,” he said.
“So if we need to do local road interventions or build out some bicycle infrastructure on roads, or anything like that.”
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