Project Overview

Transport for NSW’s M6 Stage 1 project is a $3.1 billion project set to deliver the missing link from Sydney’s south to the wider Sydney motorway network. The project is designed to remove over 2,000 trucks a day from surface roads and improve pedestrian and cyclist safety through new shared pathways.

One of these shared pathways is a new pedestrian footbridge and overpass at President Avenue, Kogarah. This 5.8m-wide spiral footbridge crosses the main road at Civic Avenue Reserve, halfway between the Kogarah town centre and Brighton-Le-Sands Beach. Pedestrians and cyclists can bypass heavy road traffic and easily access recreational facilities through the reserve, which also features the Scarborough Off Leash Dog Park.

In a joint venture with Ghella, CIMIC Group’s CPB Contractors and UGL were awarded the design and construction contract for the major transport infrastructure project. Project contractor CPB appointed Ozcast to manufacture and supply pedestrian parapets for the overpass’ spiral footbridge towards the north. Pedestrian parapets were required to create a protective edge barrier to prevent falls and slips off ramp edges while ensuring overall safe shared usage of the footbridge.

Scope

While visual appeal and cohesion with the bridge’s aesthetic and geometry are paramount, the overall functionality of pedestrian parapets is governed by factors not applicable to standard traffic parapets, including how to integrate handrails. Pedestrian parapets also need to reduce the risk of objects falling onto traffic or coming into contact with fellow pedestrians.

Ozcast delivered a total of 95 precast concrete parapets for the pedestrian footbridge at the northern side of President Ave. Each followed a simple, uniform design as per the brief, and the entire end-to-end process was completed in three months, helping minimise disruption and accelerate the delivery of the bridge’s community benefits.