The Project
Located in the City of Greater Geraldton, Western Australia, the Nangetty-Walkaway Road Bridge (Bridge No. 3014) was a key infrastructure asset supporting regional freight movement across the Greenough River.
Originally built in 1964, the bridge played a vital role in transporting grain, lime-sand, sand, and other commodities to the Geraldton Port via the Geraldton-Mount Magnet Road. In February 2021, a Level 3 Condition Inspection found the bridge to be nearing the end of its service life. As a result, the City of Greater Geraldton decided to proceed with a full bridge replacement.
In March 2023, WGA was awarded the design contract for the bridge replacement project. Our team delivered a full suite of services, including Structural, Civil, Waterways, and Geotechnical design for Bridge No. 3014A, along with site-based design and quality assurance support.
Technical Solutions
WGA’s multidisciplinary team delivered the full design scope for the Nangetty-Walkaway Road Bridge replacement, including the new road alignment design and waterway assessment services.
The new bridge spans 45 metres over three sections, with a 9-metre clear width between safety barriers. It features precast, prestressed planks with an in-situ concrete deck, supported by concrete headstocks and three cased piles per support. Raised significantly above the previous structure, the new level improves flood resilience and serviceability.
Key technical contributions include:
- Structural & Civil Design: Optimised designs to reduce the number of piles from 20 to 12. By extending the external spans while maintaining the same superstructure depth, engineers designed a solution that allows the existing bridge piles to remain in place—significantly reducing the construction time and costs.
- Waterway and Scour Protection: The reuse of existing abutment walls as scour protection system, minimising demolition works, wastage and material usage, further reducing construction costs and improving sustainability.
- Road and Drainage Design: The scope also included the design for relocating the existing Watercorp water line off bridge buried in the riverbed and construction phase support to the City of Greater Geraldton.
Client Focus
WGA’s approach was centred on delivering value, sustainability, and constructability for the City of Greater Geraldton. Our innovative designs and solutions significantly impacted the project completion, shortening the construction schedule to just under 8 months and reducing costs on several levels.
Similarly, the reuse of existing structural elements of the bridge lowered environmental impact while also streamlining construction logistics. WGA’s proactive design adjustments and close collaboration with our clients ensured that the project remained on track, demonstrating a strong commitment to client outcomes and community benefit.
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