Gateway Bridge update

Southern abutment earthworks continue along with drainage activities and finishing of the pedestrian and cycle path on the eastern side of the new Gateway Bridge.

The bridge is part of the AU$ 1.88 billion (US$ 1.45 billion) Gateway Upgrade Project, Brisbane, Australia.

The second Gateway Bridge will open to southbound traffic in mid-2010, followed by refurbishment of the existing Bridge under partial lane closures.

Both bridges will be fully opened to traffic by early 2011, with six lanes for southbound traffic and six lanes for northbound traffic.

The project is being delivered by Queensland Motorways with design and construction by the Leighton Abigroup Joint Venture.

The new Bridge - Fast Facts:

• Equals the existing Bridge as being one of the top ten longest cantilever box girder bridges in the world.
• Relies on 17 piers of varying heights for support - the shortest at 17m and the tallest at 54m.
• Costs approximately AU$ 350 million (US$ 271 million), compared with US$ 92 million (US$ 71 million) for the original.
• Requires 150000 tonnes of concrete and 11600 tonnes of steel.
• Has a design life of 300 years.

The picture shows the Aurora cruise ship passing underneath the new Gateway Bridges at dawn.