West Gate Bridge
From Free net encyclopedia
The West Gate Bridge is a large cable-stayed bridge in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It spans the Yarra River, just north of its mouth into Port Phillip, and is a vital link between the inner city and Melbourne's eastern suburbs with the industrial suburbs in the west and with the city of Geelong, 80 km to the south-west.
The main river span is 336 m in length, and the height above the water is 58 metres. The total length of the bridge is 2582 m. It is the second longest in Australia, and is twice as long as the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The bridge passes over Westgate Park, a large environmental and recreational reserve created during the bridge's construction.
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Transportation
Motor Vehicles
Unlike the Bolte Bridge much closer to the city centre, a part of the CityLink freeway system, the Westgate Bridge is no longer tolled. It carries four lanes of motor vehicle traffic in each direction.
Cycling and the Westgate
Cyclists are prohibited from using the bridge except for special bicycle events. The Westgate Punt is a ferry that runs directly below the bridge taking cyclists and pedestrians across the Yarra between a jetty in Fisherman's Bend at the end of Westgate Park, connecting to the main bicycle trail and a jetty adjacent to Scienceworks Museum. Previously operating only on weekends, the punt has recently been opened to commuters.
History
Collapse
Two years into construction of the bridge, on October 15, 1970, the 112 m span between piers 10 and 11 collapsed and fell 50 m to the ground and water below. Thirty-five construction workers were killed.
There was a difference in camber of 4.5 inches between two half girders at the west end of the span which needed to be joined. It was proposed that the higher one be weighted down with 8 concrete blocks, each 10 tonnes, which were located on site. The weight of these blocks caused the span to buckle, which was a sign of structural failure. The longitudinal joining of the half girders was partially complete when orders came through to remove the buckle. As the bolts were removed the bridge snapped back and the span collapsed.
A Royal Commission into the collapse was established, and concluded on July 14 1971. It attributed the failure of the bridge to two causes; the structural design by designers Freeman Fox and Partners and an unusual method of erection by World Services and Construction, the original contractors of the project.
Six twisted fragments of the collapsed bridge can be found adorning the gardens in the engineering faculty of Monash University, Clayton campus. Exactly how or why Monash University came to possess the fragments is not known.
Completion
Completed in 1978 after 10 years of construction, the bridge, a part of the larger West Gate Freeway, cost $202 million.
The West Gate Bridge was originally tolled but is now toll-free with the tolls being lifted after only 6 years.
Future
The West Gate is subject to ongoing traffic congestion inquiries. Proposals to abate congestion by allowing more traffic have included bridge widening, a tunnel underneath the river, or adding a second deck to the bridge.
On February 6 2006, it was reported that the State Government was considering plans to build a companion tunnel to the West Gate Bridge, the Westgate Tunnel under the Yarra River, to carry both traffic and a freight rail line. This would be similar to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Tunnel arrangement. These plans have not yet been confirmed.
Many such plans have come under fire from community groups such as the Public Transport Users Association and Environment Victoria advocating investment in alternative forms of transport.