Just as works to build a new approach ramp on the north side of the Walmer Street Bridge in Kew near completion, a matching project on the south side of the Yarra River in Abbotsford will get under way.
This means the bridge will be closed for months and riders will continue to face extended detours.
The important pedestrian and bike Yarra River crossing — which forms part of the Main Yarra Trail — will have been disrupted for 18 months by the time the projects are wrapped up.
The south side precinct is due for completion in February 2024, including the loop down the Main Yarra Trail, however the bike connections from Kew to the plaza and Richmond could open earlier.
By then the City of Boroondara will provide a wider, sturdy ramp in Kew and a new ramp, plaza and local connections will be delivered in Abbotsford.
The narrow, historic bridge span in the centre will remain, under heritage protection.
Demolition has been underway in Abbotsford, and the annoying switchback ramp from the trail along the Yarra up to the bridge is gone. Piling and foundations for the new structure across to the bridge from the plaza will soon be underway.
The detour is essentially the same as the one used while the north side project was underway. See the map below.
Riders should note that there is also a detour of the Main Yarra Trail a little further upstream where work on replacing the Gipps Street steps is underway.
Check our page here for more information.
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