Writing on the wall for City

Cockburn engineering and works services director Charles Sullivan said the crumbling block work on the north facade would be replaced.

The City will split the $65,000 repair bill 50-50 with Public Transport Authority (PTA).

Work is being done by Tracc Civil as part of its Beeliar Drive road widening contract worth about $2 million.

Mr Sullivan said the new facade would be finished by the end of June.

“The City is looking at the painting of a suitable mural on the block work to complement the mural on the south abutment,” he said.

“The artist who painted the south abutment has been consulted on this proposal.”

Calls for the mural to be repaired have been ongoing for years.

In Parliament in September 2014, Cockburn MLA Fran Logan argued the disintegrating mural would eventually present a danger to the core structure of the bridge, which carries large volumes of freight every day.

Meetings between the City, Brookfield Rail – the company that leases the line – and the PTA failed to resolve which party

The City argued the asset was used by Brookfield and it should be responsible for its maintenance.

Brookfield argued the bridge should be repaired by the same party that built it, Cockburn.

Transport Minister Dean Nalder said the PTA did not have the authority to force Brookfield to repair the wall because the damage was cosmetic and did not affect the bridge’s structure.

Despite the drawn out negotiations, Mr Sullivan was satisfied with the final outcome.

“The City has been in discussion with many parties to this issue, not just Brookfield Rail, and a satisfactory conclusion has now been reached,” he said.

“Agreement on cost sharing with the PTA has provided an equitable outcome for all parties.”

Mr Logan said he was pleased to have the issue resolved after so long.