Iron Cove Bridge, New South Wales

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**Iron Cove Bridge**

Official name	Iron Cove Bridge
Carries	Motor vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles
Crosses	Iron Cove
Locale	Sydney, Australia
Maintained by	Roads and Traffic Authority
Design	Truss bridge
Total length	1,535 feet (461.26 m)
Width	44.95 feet (13.70 m)
Opening date	July 1955

The Iron Cove Bridge links the suburbs of Rozelle and Drummoyne across Iron Cove in the inner-west of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia.

1 History
2 Second Bridge
3 Architecture
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] History

The original bridge was constructed of wrought iron lattice girders and opened in 1882 after four years of construction. The area was sparsely populated in the 1880s and the opening of the new bridge not only helped accessibility, it provided a new western route to Sydney via Balmain. As with the old Gladesville Bridge, the sandstone abutments are all that remain of the original bridge. They are situated about 20 metres (65 ft) south of the current bridge.

Original Iron Cove Bridge c1889. Courtesy State Library of Victoria.

A decision to replace the original bridge was made in 1939 just prior to the outbreak of World War II. Design work began in 1942 and construction by Hornibrook McKenzie Clarke Pty Ltd commenced in 1947. The bridge was officially opened by Hon. J.J. Cahill, MLA, Premier and Colonial Treasurer of NSW on the 30 July 1955.

Iron Cove Bridge, as seen from Birkenhead Point.

The bridge was built to carry four lanes of traffic, but a fifth lane was later added to the west side of the bridge. This extra lane runs outside of the main bridge supports, forcing traffic to remain in the lane for the length of the bridge. The default configuration is three lanes north and two south, switching to two north and three south during the morning rush hour.

[edit] Second Bridge

On 20 November 2006, the NSW Government announced plans to build a second bridge over Iron Cove as part of a A$100m upgrade to Victoria Road.^[1] The new bridge, which is due for completion in 2009, will carry eastbound traffic and consist of three general traffic lanes and a bus lane. The existing bridge will carry four lanes of traffic westbound - three general traffic lanes and a bus lane - as well as pedestrian and cycle facilities. The Premier Morris Iemma said that the Iron Cove Bridge duplication will greatly improve Victoria Road bus services.^[2]

[edit] Architecture

The bridge is comprised of aesthetically distinctive piers and abutments which reflect the Inter-War Art Deco style. Furthermore it was the last steel truss bridge to be constructed in New South Wales in which rivets were used for field connections prior to the introduction of high strength bolts.

[edit] See also

Art Deco

[edit] References

^ New South Wales Government; News Release - $100 Million Victoria Road Upgrade; 20 November 2006. [1]
^ Baker, J., Clennell, A; Iemma's poll ticket: $660m transport fix; Sydney Morning Herald; 20 November 2006.[2]

Lawrence, J; Warne, C; A Pictorial History of Balmain to Glebe, Kingsclear Books, 1995, ISBN 0-908272-40-5.
Roads and Traffic Authority, New South Wales; RTA Heritage and Conservation Register - Iron Cove Bridge
Baulderstone Hornibrook Website; About Us [3]; Accessed October 2006.