Nowra Bridge Explained

Nowra Bridge
Image Upright:1.4
Crosses:Shoalhaven River
Locale:Nowra, New South Wales, Australia
Starts:North Nowra (north)
Ends:Nowra (south)
Owner:Transport for NSW
Design:Truss bridge
Material:Steel
Length:10130NaN0
Lanes:2
Designer:Charles Shaler Smith
Fabricator:Edge Moor Iron Company
Complete:1881
Replaced By:Concrete bridge
(concurrent use; northbound)
Traffic:51,000 (August 2019)
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Zoom:14
References:[1]

The Nowra Bridge is a road bridge that carries the Princes Highway over the Shoalhaven River, at Nowra, New South Wales, Australia. The bridge joins the main area of Nowra to North Nowra and Bomaderry.

Description

The bridge was originally intended to carry a double railway track, as part of the proposed extension of the Illawarra railway line to Jervis Bay and possibly . Due to material shortages during the First World War, the railway was never extended past Bomaderry station where trains still terminate today, so the bridge was converted for road traffic, as the residents of Nowra wanted a road bridge that connected Bomaderry to Nowra.[2]

The bridge was designed by American engineer Charles Shaler Smith and is considered to be of local historical significance.[1] The bridge was completed in 1881 and is built from wrought iron with a steel approach span. The bridge had a timber deck for 100 years until in 1981 reinforced concrete was laid over steel Armco decking. The pairs of cast iron piers are original and were supplied locally by the Atlas Foundry, Sydney. It was the largest bridge project in New South Wales prior to the 1889 Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge. Its full length is .[1]

Second bridge

In December 1981, a three lane concrete bridge opened to the west of the original bridge. It carried northbound traffic with the original bridge reconfigured to carry southbound traffic.[3] [4]

Third bridge

In August 2019 Infrastructure Australia approved the construction of a new four-lane bridge immediately to the west of the existing bridges. The new bridge will become the new crossing for northbound traffic. The existing northbound bridge will be converted for southbound traffic, allowing the bridge built in 1881 to be re-purposed as a pedestrian and cycle bridge.[5] Funding to be shared between the Federal and New South Wales governments.[6] Fulton Hogan commenced work in early 2020 and is expected to be completed in 2024.[7] [8] In February 2023 the new bridge opened, initially carrying traffic in both directions while the 1981 built bridge is refurbished.[9]

Notes and References

  1. 8 April 2020 .
  2. https://web.archive.org/web/20220821111059/https://engineersaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/2022-06/eha-magazine-v3-4.pdf Nowra Bridge
  3. Two new routes on the South Coast Main Roads December 1981 page 125
  4. Web site: Piling begins for new Nowra Bridge. Roads & Maritime Services. 25 November 2020. 2 November 2020.
  5. Web site: Nowra Bridge . . Australian Government . 23 August 2019 . 7 April 2020 .
  6. Web site: New Nowra Bridge . Infrastructure Partnerships Australia. 28 February 2020 . 7 April 2020 .
  7. https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/current-projects/nowra-bridge-project-princes-highway-upgrade#:~:text=Feb%202023%20%2D%20New%20bridge%20opens,24%20February%202023%2C%20weather%20permitting. Nowra Bridge project
  8. https://roads-waterways.transport.nsw.gov.au/about/news-events/news/ministerial/2020/200212-contract-awarded-for-new-nowra-bridge.html Contract awarded for new Nowra Bridge
  9. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-24/nowra-bridge-opens-but-gridlock-worries-remain/102013988 New Nowra bridge opens, but locals doubt it's the key to easing South Coast holiday gridlock