| Bridge Name: | Batman Bridge |
| Carries: | Batman Highway |
| Crosses: | Tamar River |
| Locale: | Sidmouth, Tasmania, Australia |
| Design: | Cable-stayed |
| Mainspan: | 206m (676feet) |
| Length: | 432m (1,417feet) |
| Width: | 10.3m (33.8feet) |
| Height: | 91m (299feet) |
| Traffic: | 2,013[1] |
| Open: | 18 May 1968 |
| Coordinates: | -41.2169°N 146.9142°W |
The Batman Bridge is a modern road bridge that carries the Batman Highway across the Tamar River, between Whirlpool Reach, Hillwood at its eastern end and Sidmouth / Deviot midpoint at its western end, in north Tasmania, Australia. The bridge connects the Batman Highway with the West Tamar Highway (state route A7) and the East Tamar Highway (state route A8). The bridge overlooks the Deviot Sailing Club and is named in honour of John Batman, a Launceston businessman and co-founder of Melbourne.
Built between 1966 and 1968, it was the first cable-stayed bridge in Australia and among the first such bridges in the world. The main span is 206m (676feet) long, suspended from a 91m (299feet) steel A-frame tower. The deck is 10.3m (33.8feet) wide. The tower is on the west bank of the Tamar river, on a solid dolerite rock base which carries 78% of the weight of the main span. The length of the bridge is 432m (1,417feet) between abutments.[2] The east bank is soft clay not capable of supporting a bridge. A causeway carries the highway across this softer base, supported by four piers built on piles driven up to 18m (59feet) into the clay. The bridge deck is constructed of steel.
