narrows bridge perth freeway crossing perth western australia road bridges railway bridge located section water known narrows located point lewis connects mitchell linking city northern southern suburbs original road bridge opened largest concrete bridge world construction northern interchange bridge necessitated large land river bridge formed freeway originally ran miles following decades freeway system expanded north south greatly increasing volume traffic bridge result duplicate traffic bridge opened west original bridge railway bridge constructed gap traffic bridges passenger trains traversed narrows opening railway line road bridge close distance point lewis foot meant site suggested suitable location bridge early bridge proposed site expected cost deemed high preliminary planning bridge site finally began suspended replacement causeway built city eastern end new causeway bridges opened traffic enter city doubled calls bridge narrows site investigations bridge began august bridge proposed narrows site chosen site drew public protest basis bridge view city residents wealthy mill point area angry major highway running houses site necessitated acres land bridge approach interchange land started october saw addition cubic yards sand state started saving new bridge september construction bridge approved state labor government november hepburn metropolitan roads plan finalised urgency new traffic link construction bridge subsequently endorsed hepburn plan later developed river bed site proposed bridge ideal bridge building soft mud extending feet sand beds going feet bridge engineer travelled overseas inspect bridges similar geological locations source designer proposed bridge design contract bridge won british engineering firm construction road system began contract construction bridge signed commissioner main roads march bridge built danish firm nielsen conjunction western australian engineering firm oversaw construction behalf nielsen timber pile temporary staging construction driven noon june permanent pile bridge driven home august work bridge concrete beams began september lifted place foot crane february river pile driven home november final concrete beam lowered position june construction february deputy premier minister works announced new bridge named golden west bridge popular soft drink proposal encountered commentators quietly dropped bridge cost million wider road system costing million construction bridge took years months officially opened governor november unveiled plaque bridge premier sir commissioner main roads works minister wild person drive new bridge hoped stage debt raised pay bridge government months bridge formed new freeway originally ran miles narrows canning highway described modern highway western_australia speed limit miles hour bridge largest concrete bridge world time opening design bridge jointly designed engineering firm architects concrete design relatively new western_australia road bridges traditionally built timber bridge arched length vertical curve grade unusually soft soil conditions site forced use piles bridge foundations named country inch diameter piles steel shells conical hollow piles driven drop hammer falling sufficient resistance driving filled reinforced concrete piles support river piers shore piers bridge support columns piers designed triangular form larger carrying bridge beams completely view bridge piers columns support bridge spans central span feet flanking spans feet smaller spans feet end passing roadways bridge parallel lines beams line beams consists spans feet long suspended shore river piers central suspended span feet long river piers foot spans suspended roadways end suspended beams bridge mile inch water pipes miles inch gas drainage pipes feet wide bridge formed concrete cast adjacent beams separated roadway bridge edge lightweight aluminium safety fences installed street lights integrated safety fence deck bridge formed pre casting individual concrete units southern river shore place temporary timber staging river units structurally joined strands high wire stretched hydraulic jack pre stressing strands anchored reinforced concrete blocks ends spans new bridge traffic capacity cars hour direction total traffic lanes post completion history strengthening works carried bridge decorative night lighting installed bridge bridge entered state heritage register january named national engineering landmark november opening southern regions perth easier central business district access changed nature metropolitan area prompting dramatic population growth south river led increased traffic bridge causing regular traffic jams peak hour years governments suggested ideas reduce traffic bridge including introducing congestion similar singapore charging vehicles enter central business district peak periods government encouraged voluntary car sharing efforts largely unsuccessful 1990s bridge city worst traffic despite addition extra traffic lane bringing total number lanes seven second road bridge plans second narrows bridge 1970s original bridge carrying vehicles day average cars lane thought busiest section freeway country quantity traffic far expected capacity bridge opened solution traffic problem favoured road planners widen existing bridge building smaller second traffic bridge west joining decks form roadway increase number traffic lanes seven widening expected cost million plan widen narrows bridge announced april million plan involve addition extra traffic lanes million package upgrading extending southern end freeway spokesperson attacked plan saying government instead build railway instead widening existing structure transport minister july approved construction separate second road bridge alongside original narrows bridge solution cost million new building techniques traffic existing bridge construction separate bridge deemed necessary foundations new structure settle soft river bed different rate existing bridge plan lanes bridge including bus lane new bridge run parallel original bridge separated gap metres designed look largely original called bridge widening july march announced building contract awarded negotiated contract price reduced million owing construction method proposed designers bridge constructed launching technique metre segments pre cast shores pushed place construction progressed bridge divided strips eastern half launched separately western half decks later joined bridge centre line segments launched february launched bridge rested temporary piles structure fully launched piles removed bridge allowed rest permanent supports construction required driving steel piles driven august construction second bridge interrupted times strikes bloom bridge finally opened traffic february officially opened new transport minister critic project bridge originally planned opened august expected carry cars day new traffic bridge carried lanes traffic including bus lane original bridge modified time carry traffic lanes designed railway bridge construction second road bridge construction railway perth southern suburbs political issue incumbent proposed building railway connect freeway running centre freeway journey labor opposition instead wanted build railway narrows bridge length freeway labor party won state election reversed previous government position started planning installation railway tracks narrows bridge construction bridge needed lack previous planning provisions second bridge constructed won contract build freeway stage railway line set constructing narrow southbound railway bridge metre gap existing road bridges designers package included eastern existing northbound bridge strengthened accommodate northbound railway track construction start july completion expected december passengers traversed narrows december opening railway bridge deck steel weighing tonnes metres long built brought site road lowered position crane
Narrows Bridge (Perth)