Showing posts with label Bridge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bridge. Show all posts

Thursday, 30 January 2014

Princes Bridge - Melbourne

Location: Swanston Street, Melbourne
Opened: 4 October, 1888

The 120 metre Princes Bridge in Melbourne's CBD spans the Yarra River, connecting Swanston Street with St. Kilda road. The bridge was constructed between 1886 and 1888 in order to deal with increased traffic caused by the rapid expansion of the Gold Rush.

Named after Edward, Price of Wales, the bridge replaced a wooden toll bridge that was built in the 1840's. It now carries cars, various tram routes, cyclists and pedestrians from the city (near the famous Flinders Street Station) to destinations like Southbank, the Arts Centre, Botanic Gardens and the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.

Tram routes that cross the Princes Bridge service many inner South Eastern suburbs, including St. Kilda, Caulfield, Carnegie, Toorak, Prahran and Malvern.

Related:
Queens Bridge
Church St Bridge

Wednesday, 29 January 2014

Church Street Bridge - Richmond

Location: Church St and Chapel St, Richmond
Opened: 1923

Linking Church Street in Richmond with Chapel Street in South Yarra, the reinforced concrete arch Church Street Bridge was opened in 1923, replacing an iron girder bridge which was purchased from the British at the end of the Crimean War. The old bridge was opened in 1857.

The bridge crosses the Yarra as well as the Monash Freeway which was built next to the river in the 1960's.

The bridge is on the Victorian Heritage Register. It also supports the 78 and 79 tram route.

Related:
West Gate Bridge
Bolte Bridge


Tuesday, 28 January 2014

Bolte Bridge - Melbourne

Location: Melbourne
Opened: August, 1999

The 490 metre Bolte Bridge was built in 3 years (1996-1999) at a cost of $75 million. It is part of the Citylink tool road system which links the Monash Freeway to the Tullamarine and the West Gate Freeway.

Jeff Kennett, who was Premier of Victoria at the time, named the bridge after Henry Bolte, the Premier most associated with the three freeways connected by the bridge.

Interestingly, the iconic 90-metre high pillars that decorate the bridge are purely aesthetic, and are not physically connected to the bridge. The bridge carries six lanes of traffic and offers views over the Docklands, the CBD and Etihad Stadium.

Related:
West Gate Bridge
Queens Bridge

Monday, 27 January 2014

West Gate Bridge - Melbourne

Location: Yarra River, Melbourne
Opened: 1978

The 2.5 kilometre West Gate Bridge was completed in 1978 and is the second longest bridge in Australia. Carrying up to 200,000 vehicles per day, the bridge forms a link between the CBD and Geelong and is one of Melbourne's biggest corridors.

Twice as long as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the West Gate Bridge was a toll road until 1985. Speed Cameras built on the bridge in 2004 have been deactivated since 2005 as the sway of bridge causes issues in accurately identifying the speed.

On October 15, 1970, two years into the construction of the bridge, 35 workers were killed when a 112 metre section of the bridge fell 50 metres in to the water. A 1971 Royal Commission into the collapse attributed it to errors in the structural design and an unusual method of construction.

Related:
Queens Bridge
Bolte Bridge



Saturday, 25 January 2014

Queens Bridge - Melbourne

Location: Queensbridge St, Melbourne
Opened: 1889.

Originally a timber footbridge built in 1860 known as Falls Bridge, Queens Bridge rests on iron cylinders with 5 spans. It was named in honour of Queen Victoria.

The bridge connects Market and Williams St with Queensbridge Street across the Yarra River. It also serves the 55 tram route.

Related:
Bolte Bridge
West Gate Bridge