MILESTONE: ANZAC Bridge turns 25 (1995-2020): Conception & Construction

Last week, I published an entry relating to the opening of the ANZAC Bridge (originally known as the Glebe Island Bridge) in 1995.

This week, I will share clippings associated with its conception and construction.

Plans for a new Glebe Island Bridge to replace the original Glebe Island Bridge (1903) were unveiled in 1988. It's design was immediately compared to the Golden Gate Bridge. It was intended that work would commence the following year (1989) with completion slated for 1993.

Source: Grimshaw, P. 1988. "'Golden Gate' to span Harbor". The Daily Telegraph, September 22: page unknown.

Formal approval was given in 1990. The completion date had moved back one year to 1994 with an estimated cost of $160 million for construction.

Source: Barbeliuk, A. 1990. "Golden Gate for Sydney". The Daily Telegraph, February 2: 15. 

In 1992, there was controversy over the height of the span and that it did not need to be high.

Source: Koch, P. 1992. "Uh oh, a bridge too high". The Sunday Telegraph, October 18: 7.

Sydney City Council decided to take legal action against the Roads and Traffic Authority because of its visual impact. 25 years later and any visual impact tends to be positive!!!

Source: Cook, C. 1992. "Council's legal action may thwart Glebe bridge". The Sydney Morning Herald, April 11: 5.

Below are assorted feature reports on the construction of the bridge, mostly focusing on the spans meeting in the middle in June 1995.

September 1993

Source: Bishop, K. 1993. "Motorists get room to view Glebe Is bridge". The Sydney Morning Herald, September 16: 6.

June 1994

Source: Woodford, J. 1994. "Bridging the gap to international fame". The Sydney Morning Herald, July 25:5. 

December 1994

Source: Brennan, W. 1994. "Span a hit with visitors". The Sunday Telegraph, December 11:23. 

June 1995 - The spans meet

Source. Anon. 1995. "Together at last - our new bridge". The Daily Telegraph Mirror, June 20:1. 

Source: Keogh, K. 1995. "Landmark to make ends meet". The Daily Telegraph Mirror, June 7:23.

Source: Bekoff, K. 1995. "Bridging the gap". The Daily Telegraph Mirror, June 21: 9.

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MILESTONE: ANZAC Bridge turns 25 (1995-2020)

It's Sydney's No. 2 Bridge - ANZAC Bridge. On Saturday, the bridge will celebrate 25 years of service to Sydney.

The ANZAC Bridge replaced the swing bridge that was opened in 1903. The swing bridge has been retained for heritage purposes. The bridge also improved road travel for commuters travelling along the Victoria Road corridor, eliminating the delays associated with the previous bridge and doubling road capacity (from two to four lanes each way).

For boaties, the new bridge was taller and boats could easily navigate in and out of Blackwattle Bay.

The bridge was formally named ANZAC Bridge on November 11 1998.

Below is media coverage from The Daily Telegraph Mirror.

On December 4, 1995, The Daily Telegraph Mirror published a special four page liftout focusing on the official opening ceremony. On the previous day around 65 000 Sydneysiders walked across the bridge before being opened to traffic that evening.

The same edition (PM edition) also carried a page one report on the first peak hour run for the bridge. For the first weeks of operation, only two lanes were open each way. Congestion on the western approaches was heavier than normal.

The Daily Telegraph Mirror attempted to identify the causes of the congestion the following day (December 5).

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MILESTONE: ANZAC Bridge turns 25 (1995-2010) - Poster from "The Daily Telegraph Mirror"

This entry is a teaser for next weeks entry. At the end of next week (December 4) the ANZAC Bridge will celebrate 25 years of service to the people of Sydney.

Below is a A2 sized poster that was published in The Daily Telegraph Mirror on November 30 1995.

1995: The ANZAC Bridge is joined together

This week will be 20 years since the two spans of what was then known as the Glebe Island Bridge was joined together. Below is an article from the afternoon edition of  The Daily Telegraph on June 20 1995, when the two spans finally met. The bridge was opened to traffic less than six months later.

 

 Source: Sheridan, P. 1995. "Together at last - our new bridge". The Daily Telegraph, June 20: 1.