Fitzroy Bridge (opened 1952)

The Fitzroy Bridge is a road bridge spanning the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.[1]

Not to be confused with Fitzroy Bridge.

Fitzroy Bridge
Coordinates23°22′29″S 150°30′53″E
CarriesFitzroy Street
(Motor vehicles, pedestrian)
CrossesFitzroy River
LocaleRockhampton, Queensland, Australia
Characteristics
Total length369 metres (1,210 ft)
Width6 metres (20 ft)
Longest span60 metres (198 ft)
No. of spans7
History
Construction start29 September 1945
ReplacesFitzroy Bridge
Location

History

Construction on the bridge commenced on 29 September 1945 when Rockhampton Mayor Henry Jeffries turned the first sod to mark the start of the construction period.[2] It was officially opened by Queensland Premier Vince Gair on 27 September 1952 when an all-day event was held on and around the bridge, which attracted more than 30,000 people.[1][3][4]

The first traffic accident on the bridge was recorded three hours after the bridge was open, when a girl was hit by a car crossing the bridge. The result of her injuries were not life-threatoning.[1]

Description

The bridge is 370 metres (1,210 ft) in length between abutments, with a 70-metre (230 ft) southern approach and a 315-metre (1,033 ft) northern approach.[5] The bridge consists of seven spans carrying a 12.8-metre-wide (42 ft) roadway with two 1.5-metre-wide (5 ft) pedestrian walkways on either side.[6]

The Fitzroy Bridge replaced the original Fitzroy Bridge which had served the city since 1881.[7] When the new bridge was opened, the original bridge was closed but it remained unused alongside the new bridge until it was demolished in January 1956.[8]

Linking Rockhampton City with Berserker, the Fitzroy Bridge connects Fitzroy Street with Toft Street, passing over Victoria Parade, Reaney Street, Ashney Street and the Lakes Creek railway line. In 2018, Australian Iranian artist Niloufar Lovegrove painted a mural in the Victoria Parade underpass incorporating local themes.[9]

The Fitzroy Bridge was the only road traffic bridge crossing the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton until the Neville Hewitt Bridge was opened 650 metres (2,133 ft) upstream in 1980.[10]

The 60th anniversary of the bridge's opening was commemorated in 2012.[11]

The Fitzroy Bridge is known for its noticeable "bounce", which was first observed on the night it was opened when thousands of people were dancing on the bridge while an orchestra played music.[4] At the time, local newspaper The Morning Bulletin reported that the bridge "literally bounced in time with the rhythmic tread of thousands of dancing feet".[4] In 2014, the Department of Transport and Main Roads assured residents that is normal for the bridge to have deflection or bend to manage the weight and movement of the traffic.[12]

The bridge has been used as a focal point for various celebrations. Each July, an annual march occurs on the bridge as part of NAIDOC Week celebrations.[13]

During the 2010s, Rockhampton Regional Council began placing a single illuminated Christmas banner on the eastern side of the Fitzroy Bridge each December, and has expressed interest in extending that to all-year decorative coloured flood lighting.[14][15]

Increasing traffic on the bridge is contributing to an increase in frequency of traffic accidents.[16][17][18][19][20][21] There have also been instances when heavy vehicles have become wedged in the bridge's underpasses.[22]

There have also been concerns raised about the safety of cyclists who use the Fitzroy Bridge.[23]

See also

References
  1. Sinnamon, Myles (8 October 2013). "Opening of the Fitzroy Bridge, Rockhampton (1952)". State Library Of Queensland. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  2. "MAYOR TURNS FIRST SOD IN BUILDING OF NEW BRIDGE". Morning Bulletin. No. 25, 370. Queensland, Australia. 1 October 1945. p. 3 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. (29 September 1952) City's Historic Double, page 1, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved from National Library of Australia 9 May 2018.
  4. (29 September 1952) Spirit of Celebration at Fitzroy Bridge Opening, page 6, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved from National Library of Australia 9 May 2018.
  5. (22 September 1952) Easily longest continuous plate web girder bridge in Australia, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved from National Library of Australia 10 May 2018.
  6. (22 September 1952) Main Superstructure Of New Bridge, page 5, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved from National Library of Australia 10 May 2018.
  7. (24 September 1952) Fitzroy Bridge Served Since City Was Young, page 6, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved from National Library of Australia 9 May 2018.
  8. (26 January 1956) Bridge Piers Down With A Splash, page 22, The Central Queensland Herald. Retrieved from National Library of Australia 9 May 2018.
  9. Jarrett, Vanessa (13 April 2018) Dark pathway gets a bright facelift with our region's icons, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  10. (12 June 1980) Bridge named, page 3, The Canberra Times. Retrieved from National Library of Australia 9 May 2018.
  11. Stevens, Les (26 September 2012) Video: Fitzroy Bridge turns 60, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  12. (25 August 2014) Bounce is normal on old Fitzroy River Bridge - Main Roads, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  13. Robinson, Paul; Roberts, Alice (6 July 2012) Painting the bridge red, black and yellow, ABC Capricornia. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  14. Plane, Melanie (1 January 2015) Merry Christmas Rocky! Where does the sign go now?, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  15. (7 April 2015) Rocky council looks to turn on Old Bridge lights in July, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  16. Mesner, Kerri-Anne (27 January 2016) Two people taken to hospital after crash on Fitzroy Bridge, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  17. (22 August 2016) Lanes clear on bridge following crash, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  18. (27 February 2016) Woman injured in motorcycle crash on Fitzroy Bridge, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  19. Mesner, Kerri-Anne (18 January 2017) Crash on bridge causes traffic delays across city, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  20. Plane, Melanie (9 March 2017) Peak hour crash on Fitzroy Bridge, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  21. (18 August 2017) Three crashes in three minutes on Rocky bridge, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  22. (23 February 2011) Truck stuck under Fitzroy Bridge, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  23. Barnett, Leyland (3 November 2014) Fitzroy River Bridge needs to be safer for cyclists, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
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