Work on the once-in-a-generation New Bridgewater Bridge Project is a significant step closer to delivering faster travel times and less congestion, Tasmanian Premier, Jeremy Rockliff today declared.
The Premier said the pouring of the final pair of the 42 bridge piers this evening will mark the completion of the bridge’s substructure and bring the project a step closer to having traffic on the bridge.
“Anyone who has driven through the area recently would have seen the hive of activity as we move closer to having traffic on the new bridge,” said Mr Rockliff.
“The project site is changing daily, and Tasmanians are rightly excited to see the new bridge taking shape so quickly.
“Completing the bridge’s substructure is a major milestone and is a significant step towards seeing the deck of the new bridge finished.
“Not only will a new Bridgewater Bridge remove the bottlenecks people have been experiencing at each end of the bridge, but it will provide more reliable travel times so people know how long their journey will take,” he said.
The Australian and Tasmanian governments are investing $786 million into project, with the Federal Government committing $628.8 million, and $157.2 million from the Tasmanian Government.
“We know how important it is to deliver infrastructure that gets people home quicker and safer,” said Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister, Catherine King.
“This much-needed bridge replacement will also boost economic opportunities including ensuring tourists have a more enjoyable experience getting to and from the north and south of the state.”
Tasmanian Infrastructure Minister, Kerry Vincent said the project was also providing increased capacity and capability in local skills within the state’s civil construction industry.
“Seeing so many outstanding Tasmanian businesses come together to deliver this once-in-a-generation project is something special and something all Tasmanians should be proud of,” she said.
The 1.2-kilometre-long bridge will include two lanes of traffic in each direction, a shared path for cyclists and pedestrians, and clearance for boats.
The 46 piles that make up the bridge’s foundations were completed in July, ranging between 30-90 metres below the river. One of the final piles to be poured is believed to be the largest ever poured in Australia, reaching 88 metres below the surface.
Each pier is the starting point for the construction of the superstructure, which is made up of 1,082 concrete bridge segments produced at the project’s purpose-built precast yard at Bridgewater.
The 21 pairs of piers range in height from eight to 16 metres to provide the navigation clearance under the bridge.
Made up of between 190-310 tonnes of concrete and 25-35 tonnes of steel, each pier is constructed using specially designed steel forms, which allow them to be poured in one piece on site.
The project remains on track to be delivered on time and within budget, with the new bridge due to be completed by July 2025.
