Bridges on shared pathways provide grade separation, improving safety and travel times for both users of the path and users of the road. They often also provide a connection to open up a route for path users that might not otherwise be viable; at least, not without considerable inconvenience (as commuters on the Gardiners Creek Trail have become accustomed to this year).

But not all bridges are created equal—or indeed with equal diligence and sense of urgency.

Compare and contast:

Gardiners Creek Trail bridge

Monash Freeway, East Malvern

By my count, that's about seven months elapsed, and there it is complete, taking foot and cycle traffic, and ready to receive an enormous, ugly advertising billboard:

And then there's…

Burwood Highway, Wantirna South

By my count, that's about fourteen months—after construction of EastLink supposedly finished—and still counting.

One is bound to wonder what differences exist in contracts on the two projects? In the meantime, the unfinished bridge remains an eyesore and users of the EastLink Trail remain inconvenienced.

No, I can't work out what's going on here either.

Comments

eccles

Honestly, I think patronage. The East Malvern one serves the railway station and is a major link on an inbound bike path to the city.

The Eastlink bridge is kinda in the middle of nowhere.