Sea Cliff Bridge

Sea Cliff Bridge
Carries Motor vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles
Locale Illawarra, New South Wales, Australia
Design Balanced cantilever [1]
Material Steel reinforced concrete [1]
Total length 455.6 metres (1,495 ft) [1]
Height 41 metres (135 ft) at highest point [1]
Longest span 3 x 108 metres (354 ft) [1]
Number of spans 5 [1]
Construction end 9 December 2005 [1]
Opened 11 December 2005 [1]

The Sea Cliff Bridge is a balanced cantilever bridge located in the northern Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The $52 million[2] bridge links the coastal villages of Coalcliff and Clifton. Featuring two lanes of traffic, a cycleway and a walkway, the Sea Cliff Bridge boasts spectacular views and is a feature of the scenic Lawrence Hargrave Drive.

The Sea Cliff Bridge replaced a section of Lawrence Hargrave Drive that was permanently closed in August 2003 due to regular rock falls. A public outcry emerged over the road closure as Lawrence Hargrave Drive is the only road directly linking Coalcliff, Stanwell Park, Otford and Helensburgh to the northern suburbs of Wollongong.[3] The bridge was officially opened by NSW Premier Morris Iemma at a 'ribbon cutting' ceremony on 11 December 2005, and has met with great public approval and increased business for the area's tourism industry.[3]

The Sea Cliff Bridge was named by 11 Year old schoolgirl Makenzie Russell (St. Brigids)[4] following a naming competition opened to local primary school students.

It is a popular location for Love padlocks.[5]

The Sea Cliff Bridge is one of only seven off-shore parallel to coast bridges in the world.

In the popular media

The Sea Cliff Bridge has been featured in a joint 2007 Ferrari/Shell Fuel television advert that was shown in many countries around the world including Australia.[6] The television advert featured a Ferrari Formula 1 car being driven along the bridge at high speed. This was one of many times the bridge has been used in a television advert.

This bridge has been featured in many car advertisements around the world. Including the new Holden Commodore SIDI TV ads. [1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Sea Cliff Bridge - Bridge Construction Statistics". http://seacliffbridge.com/scbstatistics.html. Retrieved 2009-05-23. 
  2. ^ "Sea Cliff Bridge - Home Page". http://seacliffbridge.com. Retrieved 2009-05-23. 
  3. ^ a b "Sea Cliff Bridge - Why Was It Constructed ?". http://seacliffbridge.com/scblhdalliance.html. Retrieved 2009-05-23. 
  4. ^ "Sea Cliff Bridge - Makenzie who?". http://seacliffbridge.com/scbmakenzie.html. Retrieved 2009-05-23. 
  5. ^ "Sea Cliff Bridge holds key to love". http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/sea-cliff-bridge-holds-key-to-love/1458967.aspx. Retrieved 2011-09-01. 
  6. ^ "Tourism NSW - Insights 19 April 2007". http://corporate.tourism.nsw.gov.au/emailMarketing/Insights/2007_04_06/TourismNSW_email_218.html. Retrieved 2009-05-24. 

External links