Story Bridge, Brisbane
Encyclopedia
The Story Bridge is a cantilever bridge
spanning the Brisbane River
. Part of Bradfield Highway (15), it connects Fortitude Valley to Kangaroo Point
. Before the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge
in 1932 the Government of Queensland
asked John Bradfield to design a new bridge in Brisbane
. The bridge is named for John Douglas Story
.
of the University of Queensland
in the 1920s, for a series of bridges over the Brisbane River
to alleviate congestion on Victoria Bridge
and to divert traffic away from the Brisbane central business district
. The William Jolly Bridge was the first of the Hawken Plan bridges to be constructed. Lack of funds precluded the construction of the downstream bridge at that time. Initially plans called for a transporter bridge
further downstream near New Farm
.
In 1926 Kangaroo Point was recommended by the Brisbane City Council's Cross River Commission. Subsequently the bridge was constructed as a public works
program during the Great Depression
. The cost was to be no more than ₤1.6 million.
in Montreal
, completed in 1930. On 30 April 1935 a consortium of two Queensland companies, Evans Deakin and Hornibrook Constructions, won the tender with a bid of ₤1,150,000.
Construction on the bridge began on 24 May 1935, with the first sod being turned by the then Premier of Queensland
, William Forgan Smith
. Work sometimes continued 24 hours per day. The bridge has only one pier on the northern bank but two piers on the lower southern bank, one to bear the weight (the main pier) and, further to the south, one to prevent the bridge from twisting (the anchor pier). There was no need for an anchor pier on the northern bank as the bridge was anchored into schist
cliff face. The major challenge in constructing the bridge was the southern foundations that went 40 metres below ground level. It was not possible to excavate to that level as water from the level would rapidly seep in. So a pneumatic caisson
technique had to be used. As men were working under pressures of up to 4 times normal air pressure, a decompression period of almost 2 hours was needed at the end of each shift to avoid the bends
. An on-site air lock hospital successfully treated the 65 cases of the bends that occurred. . On the 28 October 1939 the gap between the two sides was closed. A concrete decking was then laid, covered by a Trinidad pitch topping. The bridge was painted and sodium lighting was installed. The bridge approaches were also prepared.
. It was opened on 6 July 1940 by Sir Leslie Orme Wilson
, Governor of Queensland
and named for John Douglas Story
, a senior and influential public servant who had advocated strongly for the bridge's construction.
The Story Bridge carries three lanes of traffic in either direction as well as a shared pedestrian and cycle way flanking each side. The road on the bridge is called the Bradfield Highway, and is the shortest highway in Australia. It is not to be confused with the Bradfield Highway
that spans the Sydney Harbour Bridge
.
Initially a toll of sixpence (5 cents) was charged to use the bridge, with toll booths constructed at the southern end of the Bradfield Highway. The toll was removed in 1947. Between 1952 and 1969 trolley-buses operated by the Brisbane City Council
used the bridge.
and is illuminated at night.
In 1990 road traffic was halted so pedestrians could celebrate the 50th anniversary of the bridge's construction.
Bridge climbs began in 2005 and are becoming a major tourist attraction.
Cantilever bridge
A cantilever bridge is a bridge built using cantilevers, structures that project horizontally into space, supported on only one end. For small footbridges, the cantilevers may be simple beams; however, large cantilever bridges designed to handle road or rail traffic use trusses built from...
spanning the Brisbane River
Brisbane River
The Brisbane River is the longest river in south east Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay. John Oxley was the first European to explore the river who named it after the Governor of New South Wales, Thomas Brisbane in 1823...
. Part of Bradfield Highway (15), it connects Fortitude Valley to Kangaroo Point
Kangaroo Point, Queensland
Kangaroo Point is a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia located directly east across the Brisbane River from the Brisbane central business district.- Geography :...
. Before the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic...
in 1932 the Government of Queensland
Government of Queensland
The Government of Queensland is commonly known as the "Queensland Government".The form of the Government of Queensland is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1859, although it has been amended many times since then...
asked John Bradfield to design a new bridge in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. The bridge is named for John Douglas Story
John Douglas Story
John Douglas Story .Also known as J. D. Story, he migrated to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, with his parents, as a child, and attended Brisbane Grammar School and Brisbane Technical College.Story was a prominent Queensland public servant who entered the Queensland Public Service and was...
.
History
Planning
A bridge downstream of the Victoria Bridge was part of a larger plan, devised by Professor Roger HawkenRoger Hawken
Roger William Hercules Hawken , an Australian engineer, was the first lecturer in Civil Engineering, and then a professor, at the University of Queensland.-Personal life:...
of the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
in the 1920s, for a series of bridges over the Brisbane River
Brisbane River
The Brisbane River is the longest river in south east Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay. John Oxley was the first European to explore the river who named it after the Governor of New South Wales, Thomas Brisbane in 1823...
to alleviate congestion on Victoria Bridge
Victoria Bridge, Brisbane
The Victoria Bridge is a vehicular and pedestrian bridge over the Brisbane River. The current bridge, opened in 1969, is the third permanent crossing erected at this location...
and to divert traffic away from the Brisbane central business district
Brisbane central business district
The Brisbane central business district , sometimes referred to as the city, is a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and is located on a point on the northern bank of the Brisbane River. The triangular shaped area is bounded by the Brisbane River to the east, south and west...
. The William Jolly Bridge was the first of the Hawken Plan bridges to be constructed. Lack of funds precluded the construction of the downstream bridge at that time. Initially plans called for a transporter bridge
Transporter bridge
A transporter bridge is a type of movable bridge that carries a segment of roadway across a river. The gondola is slung from a tall span by wires or a metal frame. The design has been used to cross navigable rivers or other bodies of water, where there is a requirement for ship traffic to be...
further downstream near New Farm
New Farm, Queensland
New Farm is an inner suburb of Brisbane, Australia, located 2 km east of the Brisbane CBD on a large bend of the Brisbane River. New Farm is partly surrounded by the Brisbane River, with land access from the north west through Fortitude Valley and from the north through...
.
In 1926 Kangaroo Point was recommended by the Brisbane City Council's Cross River Commission. Subsequently the bridge was constructed as a public works
Public works
Public works are a broad category of projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community...
program during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. The cost was to be no more than ₤1.6 million.
Construction
The Queensland Government appointed John Bradfield on 15 December 1933 as consulting engineer to the Bureau of Industry who were in charge of the construction of the bridge. In June 1934 Bradfield's recommendation of a steel cantilever bridge was approved. The design for the bridge was based heavily on that of the Jacques Cartier BridgeJacques Cartier Bridge
The Jacques Cartier Bridge is a steel truss cantilever bridge crossing the Saint Lawrence River from Montreal Island, Montreal, Quebec to the south shore at Longueuil, Quebec, Canada...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, completed in 1930. On 30 April 1935 a consortium of two Queensland companies, Evans Deakin and Hornibrook Constructions, won the tender with a bid of ₤1,150,000.
Construction on the bridge began on 24 May 1935, with the first sod being turned by the then Premier of Queensland
Premiers of Queensland
Before the 1890s, there was no developed party system in Queensland. Political affiliation labels before that time indicate a general tendency only. Before the end of the first decade of the twentieth century, political parties were more akin to parliamentary factions, and were fluid, informal and...
, William Forgan Smith
William Forgan Smith
William Forgan Smith , generally known as Forgan Smith, was Premier of the Australian state of Queensland from 1932 to 1942. He came to dominate politics in the state during the 1930s, and his populism, firm leadership, defence of states' rights and interest in state development make him something...
. Work sometimes continued 24 hours per day. The bridge has only one pier on the northern bank but two piers on the lower southern bank, one to bear the weight (the main pier) and, further to the south, one to prevent the bridge from twisting (the anchor pier). There was no need for an anchor pier on the northern bank as the bridge was anchored into schist
Schist
The schists constitute a group of medium-grade metamorphic rocks, chiefly notable for the preponderance of lamellar minerals such as micas, chlorite, talc, hornblende, graphite, and others. Quartz often occurs in drawn-out grains to such an extent that a particular form called quartz schist is...
cliff face. The major challenge in constructing the bridge was the southern foundations that went 40 metres below ground level. It was not possible to excavate to that level as water from the level would rapidly seep in. So a pneumatic caisson
Caisson (engineering)
In geotechnical engineering, a caisson is a retaining, watertight structure used, for example, to work on the foundations of a bridge pier, for the construction of a concrete dam, or for the repair of ships. These are constructed such that the water can be pumped out, keeping the working...
technique had to be used. As men were working under pressures of up to 4 times normal air pressure, a decompression period of almost 2 hours was needed at the end of each shift to avoid the bends
Bends
Bends, or the bends may refer to:* "The bends", the common term used to refer to decompression sickness* The Bends, a 1995 album by British band Radiohead** "The Bends", a song from the above album...
. An on-site air lock hospital successfully treated the 65 cases of the bends that occurred. . On the 28 October 1939 the gap between the two sides was closed. A concrete decking was then laid, covered by a Trinidad pitch topping. The bridge was painted and sodium lighting was installed. The bridge approaches were also prepared.
Naming
Until it was completed the bridge was known as the Jubilee Bridge in honour of King George VGeorge V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
. It was opened on 6 July 1940 by Sir Leslie Orme Wilson
Leslie Orme Wilson
Sir Leslie Orme Wilson, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, DSO, PC was a British soldier, Conservative politician and Governor of Queensland.-Personal life:...
, Governor of Queensland
Governors of Queensland
The Governor of Queensland is the representative in the state of Queensland of the Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level....
and named for John Douglas Story
John Douglas Story
John Douglas Story .Also known as J. D. Story, he migrated to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, with his parents, as a child, and attended Brisbane Grammar School and Brisbane Technical College.Story was a prominent Queensland public servant who entered the Queensland Public Service and was...
, a senior and influential public servant who had advocated strongly for the bridge's construction.
Operations
Bradfield Highway, Sydney
The Bradfield Highway is a highway in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. At 2.4 km long it is one of the shortest highways in Australia....
that spans the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic...
.
Initially a toll of sixpence (5 cents) was charged to use the bridge, with toll booths constructed at the southern end of the Bradfield Highway. The toll was removed in 1947. Between 1952 and 1969 trolley-buses operated by the Brisbane City Council
Brisbane Transport
Brisbane Transport is a business unit of Brisbane City Council, operating suburban and urban bus services under the TransLink integrated public transport scheme in Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. The origins of Brisbane Transport can be seen as far back as 1885 when horse...
used the bridge.
Role in contemporary Brisbane
The Story Bridge features prominently in the annual Riverfire displayRiverfestival
Riverfestival, which began in 1998, is a week-long festival held in September each year at South Bank Parklands and surrounding areas , to celebrate the Brisbane River. In 2009, the festival merged with Brisbane Festival....
and is illuminated at night.
In 1990 road traffic was halted so pedestrians could celebrate the 50th anniversary of the bridge's construction.
Bridge climbs began in 2005 and are becoming a major tourist attraction.
See also
- Australian Landmarks
- Clem Jones Tunnel
- Jacques-Cartier Bridge
External links
- Story Bridge under construction, 1939 This photo is held by John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image number: 185055
- Brisbane City Council - Captain Burke Park under the Bridge
- View on Google Maps - includes a short video.
- Urban design review of Story Bridge on citymakers.org