Spit Bridge

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Spit Bridge by Night, from Ellery's Punt Reserve

The Spit Bridge is a bascule bridge that carries Spit Road over Middle Harbour in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, at a point called "The Spit," 10 km north-east of the CBD. It connects the suburbs of Mosman, on the south bank and Seaforth, on the north bank.

1 History
2 Today
3 Criticism
4 External Links
5 References

[edit] History

The bridge replaces an earlier bridge that was built in 1924, which itself replaced a punt service which had operated since the late nineteenth century. Traffic wishing to cross the original bridge - also an opening bridge - had started to experience delays only a few years after the opening of the bridge, a situation which parallels that of today, with local traffic competing with Northern Beaches through traffic.^[1]

It was recognised that a new bridge was required, but, again in parallel to the present, it was decided that a low-level bridge would be constructed at the same site. Some people had pushed for a high-level bridge to be constructed, while others wanted a bridge to be constructed further upstream, leaving the existing bridge for local traffic. ^[2]

Construction of the current bridge was begun in 1952 and after many delays was completed in 1958. ^[3] It was opened on the 19th November 1958.

The original bridge, which was only a few metres to the west of the current bridge, was in perfect condition, and although some residents hoped that it might be retained, it was demolished. Not much evidence of the original bridge remains. Part of the original roadway survives at the northern end, giving access to an adjacent residence, and one can see where it was simply cut up where the old bridge would have been. The northern abutment is gone - a stairway is built upon that position that gives access to the area underneath the bridge as well as Ellery Punt Reserve. Below the stairway, a significantly cut down set of concrete piers remain. On the southern end, the abutment appears to still exist, surviving as a viewing platform.

The punt ramps seem to have fared better, however, with the southern ramp almost intact beneath the current bridge, and the northern ramp almost intact, although the reserve which takes its name from the punt has encroached upon it.

[edit] Today

Spit Bridge forms part of a major route from the CBD and North Shore suburbs to Manly and the Northern Beaches. The next crossing is some distance upstream (north-west) of here at Roseville Bridge. The bridge itself is of steel girder construction on concrete piers, a concrete deck, and concrete abutments. The opening span is operated from a small tower in the middle of the bridge.

The bridge has two traffic lanes in each direction, with a tidal flow system set up, while the approaches to it have three lanes in each direction. This often causes traffic delays, a situation which especially affects bus services - an essential institution as there is no rail link to the northern beaches.

The RTA announced in August 2006 that tenders have been called for widening of the bridge to six lanes, with two extra traffic lanes and a pedestrian/cycleway being added on the western side, as well upgrades to the lifting mechanism. Construction is to begin in 2007.^[4]

[edit] Criticism

Traffic delays either side of the Spit bridge have been a problem for many years, not only on the approaches to the bridge itself, but also far up the hills on either side, with the steep approach on the northern side even considered dangerous. The plan to widen the bridge is not new, and has come under fire as it does nothing to relieve congestion either side of the bridge, and still does not solve the issue of the bridge itself being an opening bridge. Alternative suggestions of a tunnel linking the Warringah Expressway and the Burnt Bridge Creek Deviation as well as a high-level bridge in place of the existing one have been labelled as too expensive by the local state member, with $200 Million estimated for a high-level bridge, and $1 Billion for the tunnel option.^[5] Others have suggested that a new bridge could be built for much the same cost as the proposed widening. ^[6]

In 2007, the RTA found that traffic either side of the bridge doesn't return to normal for 15 minutes after the bridge is opened and proposed to revise the bridge opening times, alarming the boating community who believe that such actions will create congestion in the waterway.^[7]