Balun Bindarray Bridge Explained

Bridge Name:Balun Bindarray Bridge
Native Name Lang:en
Image Upright:1.4
Carries:Shirley Adams Way (Summerland Way)
Crosses:Clarence River
Locale:Grafton, New South Wales, Australia
Maint:Transport for NSW
Design:Girder bridge
Material:Steel
Material1:Concrete
Builder:Fulton Hogan
Cost:A$240 million
Inaugurated: by
Chris Gulaptis, Member for Clarence
Replaces:Grafton Bridge (since 2019)
References:[1] [2]
Mapframe:yes

The Balun Bindarray Bridge, formerly the New Grafton Bridge, is a bridge located east of the Grafton Bridge and opened to traffic on 12 December 2019. The bridge carries two lanes of Shirley Adams Way (Summerland Way) and has been designed to be increased to four lanes when traffic levels require it. It also carries a grade-separated footpath and cycleway.[3]

History

In 2002, the NSW Government commissioned a study into a crossing over Clarence River, additional to the Grafton Bridge, released in early 2003.[4]

In October 2008, federal, state and local government representatives inspected the existing bridge. It was claimed that this bridge was not coping with the increasing volume of traffic. Estimates of replacing the bridge were in the range of A$100 million.[5] In December 2012, the Roads & Maritime Services (RMS) announced that a preferred option of an additional crossing of the Clarence River had been identified and went on public display for comment. RMS also announced that a final decision was expected during 2013.[6] Construction commenced on the new crossing, then named New Grafton Bridge, in November 2016 and the bridge was opened on 12 December 2019 by Chris Gulaptis, the Member for Clarence.[7]

Summerland Way was also rerouted from the old bridge onto the new bridge.[8] [9]

The bridge was renamed on 27 November 2022[10] after review by the Clarence Valley Council and Transport for NSW to enquire to the public to help name the bridge.[11] The name refers to balun – meaning river in Bundjalung, and bindarray – meaning river in Gumbaynggirr. The two languages are spoken by Aboriginal peoples in the Clarence Valley region of New South Wales, Australia. The access roads and walkways on either side of the bridge were named the Shirley Way in honor of Shirley Adams, the first female mayor of Grafton City Council.[12] The road was renamed again to Shirley Adams Way in July 2024 to incorporate the late mayor's family name.[13]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: New Grafton bridge: Project update. Transport for NSW. . Roads & Maritime Services . Roads & Maritime Services . February 2020 . 30 March 2020 .
  2. Web site: Site Visit to Grafton Bridge Construction . n.d. . 30 March 2020 . .
  3. Web site: 12 December 2019. New Grafton bridge crossing opens to traffic. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20191215115655/https://www.nswnationals.org.au/new-grafton-bridge-crossing-opens-to-traffic/. 15 December 2019. 15 December 2019. NSW Nationals.
  4. https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/projects/northern-bridges/grafton-clarence-river-crossing/index.html "New Grafton bridge – additional crossing of the Clarence River"
  5. News: 31 October 2008. Funding doubts over second Grafton bridge. ABC News. Australia. 16 March 2013.
  6. Web site: December 2012. Additional crossing of the Clarence River at Grafton: Recommended preferred option display. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170626135545/http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/projects/northern-nsw/grafton-clarence-river-crossing/grafton-community-update-dec2012.pdf. 26 June 2017. 12 June 2019. Community update. Roads & Maritime Services.
  7. Web site: New Grafton bridge – additional crossing of the Clarence River. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20190612131549/https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/projects/northern-nsw/grafton-clarence-river-crossing/index.html. 12 June 2019. 12 June 2019. Roads and Maritime Services.
  8. Web site: New Grafton Bridge – Proposed directional signage plan – Stage 2 – Bridge opening (Target Opening Date – December 2019). 3 December 2020. Transport for NSW – Roads and Maritime.
  9. Web site: New Grafton Bridge – Proposed directional signage plan – Stage 3 – Project completion (Target Date – June 2020). 3 December 2020. Transport for NSW – Roads and Maritime.
  10. Web site: New Grafton Bridge name revealed – Clarence Valley Independent . 2023-09-30.
  11. Web site: New Grafton bridge – Project update – August 2020.
  12. Web site: Balun Bindarray Bridge and Shirley Way . 2023-09-30 . www.clarence.nsw.gov.au . en-AU.
  13. Web site: Grafton icon honoured with renamed road. Transport for NSW. 30 July 2024. 12 August 2024.