New construction milestone reached on New Bridgewater Bridge Project

The construction of the new Bridgewater Bridge in Tasmania has reached another exciting milestone with the arrival of half of the construction barges in Hobart. 

A total of 12 barges will be used and the construction barges will be floated, linked together and rested on the riverbed to provide a sturdy and safe temporary platform where the project team can build the new Bridgewater Bridge. 

Utilising barges is a smart solution that will avoid time, cost and environmental impact of building a temporary platform on driven piles. 

The $786 million New Bridgewater Bridge Project will deliver a new 1-kilometre four-lane bridge built downstream the existing bridge. The project will also include the construction of new interchanges at Granton and Bridgewater along with a safe shared path for cyclists and pedestrians. 

Feedback from local residents, businesses, commuters as well as councils and interest groups gathered during the community consultation phase has helped shape the final design of the new bridge. 

Artist impression (source: New Bridgewater Bridge Project)

Final design of the new Bridgewater Bridge will include a free-flowing access from the Brooker Highway to the Lyell Highway, a direct connection from Bridgewater onto the new bridge, and a roundabout at the bottom of Old Main Road in Bridgewater that will help improve bus access through the area. 

In addition, a new roundabout will link to the Black Snake Road underpass and it will feature a dedicated slip lane to allow traffic from Lyell Highway to flow uninterrupted onto the Brooker Highway. A three-metre-wide shared path will be built as well to ensure pedestrians and cyclists can cross the bridge safely. 

The existing bridge structure will remain open until the new bridge is completed and opened to traffic, but it will be decommissioned due to its poor condition and growing maintenance cost. Most of the structure will be removed while some elements will be retained, and others are going to be installed in the local area near the bridge. 

Artist impression (source: New Bridgewater Bridge Project)

The new Bridgewater Bridge is jointly funded by the Australian and Tasmanian Governments, and it is the State’s largest transport infrastructure project to date. 

Construction of the new Bridgewater Bridge is anticipated to support approximately 830 direct and indirect jobs, including the creation of about 200 new jobs for Tasmanians. 

McConnell Dowell has been appointed to undertake the delivery of the $786 million project. You can read more about the contract award here. 

The new bridge is expected to open to traffic by the end of 2024, and the entire New Bridgewater Bridge Project will be completed in mid-2025. 

Source: McConnell Dowell; Roads & Infrastructure Australia; Tasmanian Government – New Bridgewater Bridge Project (1, 2, 3)