Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges | |
|---|---|
 The Gateway Bridge (now named Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges), pictured from the Brisbane River in 2003. | |
| Coordinates | 27°26′40″S 153°06′02″E / 27.44444°S 153.10056°E |
| Carries | Motor vehicles |
| Crosses | Brisbane River |
| Locale | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Official name | Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Twin concrete cantilever box girder |
| Total length | 1,627 metres (5,338 ft) |
| Width | 22 metres (72 ft) |
| Height | 64.5 metres (212 ft) above river level[1] |
| Longest span | 260 metres (850 ft) |
| Clearance below | 59.2 m (194.2 ft) at mid-span[1] |
| History | |
| Construction cost | $92 million (1986) $350 million (2010) |
| Opened | 11 January 1986 (1986 span)[2] 22 May 2011 (2010 span) |
| Location | |
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The Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges, formerly and still collectively referred to as the Gateway Bridge, are a pair of twin road bridges that carry the Gateway Motorway (M1) over the Brisbane River, skirting the eastern suburbs of the city of the same name. The western bridge carries traffic to the north and the eastern bridge carries traffic to the south. They are the most eastern crossings of the Brisbane River and the closest to Moreton Bay, crossing at the Quarries Reach and linking the suburbs of Eagle Farm and Murarrie. The original western bridge (formerly named the Gateway Bridge) was opened on 11 January 1986 and cost A$92 million to build.[1][3] The duplicate bridge was opened in May 2010, and cost $350 million.[1]
In February 2010, the Queensland Government renamed the Gateway Bridge and its duplicate the Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges.[4][5] Following the announcement, an opinion poll conducted by Brisbane's Channel Nine News showed that 97% of people were against the decision to rename the bridge and that most would continue to call it the Gateway Bridge.[6][citation needed]
A public open day for the duplicate bridge was held on 16 May 2010 and the new bridge was opened to traffic on 22 May 2010, six months ahead of schedule. Following the opening, the old bridge was refurbished, three vehicle lanes at a time. From November 2010 the two bridges carry 12 lanes of vehicle traffic (six in each direction).[7][8] The associated upgrade of the Gateway Motorway south of the bridge was completed in May 2010 to coincide with the new bridge opening.[9]
To pay for the duplication of the bridge, a toll was imposed on the original bridge in 2005, and on the new bridge when the latter opened.[10] The bridges are tolled using the Linkt (formerly go via) electronic system and will remain so until 2051.[11] The toll booths were removed and free flow tolling began in July 2009.[12] The booth removal saw an immediate drop in road crashes due to the reduction in queuing and weaving at the toll booths on the southern approach.[12]
- ^ a b c d Warren Pitt (26 September 2007), Gateway Upgrade Project well underway, Queensland Government, archived from the original on 9 January 2021, retrieved 12 January 2016
- ^ "HMAS Tobruk (II)". Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
- ^ Brendan O'Malley (20 February 2009). "Prince Philip opens Gateway Bridge, months after it opened". Courier Mail. Queensland Newspapers. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
- ^ "History made as tens of thousands walk new Gateway to Queensland". Queensland Government. 16 May 2010. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
- ^ "Gateway Bridge to be renamed". Brisbane Times. Fairfax Digital. 11 February 2010. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
- ^ Channel Nine News, 12 February 2010
- ^ Channel Seven News, 13 February 2010
- ^ "New Gateway to open a month ahead of schedule". The Courier-Mail. Queensland Newspapers. 14 February 2010. Archived from the original on 18 February 2010. Retrieved 15 February 2010.
- ^ New Sir Leo Hielscher Bridge to provide traffic benefits sooner (PDF), Queensland Government, archived (PDF) from the original on 9 January 2021, retrieved 16 February 2010
- ^ "New Gateway Bridge for Brisbane to begin next year". ABC News Online. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 17 February 2005. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
- ^ "Road Franchise Agreement - The State of Queensland (The State), Queensland Motorways Pty Limited ACN 067 242 513, Gateway Motorway Pty Limited ACN 010 127 303 and Logan Motorways Pty Limited ACN 010 704 300 (Franchisees)" (PDF). Department of Transport and Main Roads. p. 52. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
- ^ a b "Free-flow tolling reduces Brisbane crashes". ABC News Online. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 9 October 2009. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2010.