Story Bridge, Brisbane, Australia
Spanning across the Brisbane River, the Story Bridge forms one of the major thirteen
crossings of the River in the city of Brisbane. With six lanes deck, the bridge
connects Kangaroo Point with Fortitude Valley. It also has a pedestrian / Cycle
way on each side. The double cantilever bridge with a total length of 777 meters
has a clearance height of 31 meters for the vessels to cross below.
On July 6th, 1940 Brisbane's Story Bridge opened for operation. It took five years
to construct and a river crossing near Kangaroo Point had first been recommended
14 years before the bridge was finally completed. One of the major reasons for building
the Story Bridge was actually employment. During the Great Depression, the construction
effort provided years of employment for many men as one of the then governments'
three public works projects. The Story Bridge is the largest steel bridge designed,
fabricated and constructed in Australia by Australians.
Constructed between 1935 and 1940, the bridge was constructed simultaneously from
both ends, with the main piers erected first. Excavations for the southern pier
necessitated men working in watertight airlock chambers within steel caissons up
to 40 metres below ground level.
Construction Facts
- 39,100 cubic metres were excavated for foundations.
- 41,250 cubic metres of concrete used
- 12,000 tonnes of structural steel used
- 1,650 tonnes of reinforcing steel used
- 1,500,000 rivets were used to construct the bridge.