Spencer Street Bridge
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Spencer Street Bridge | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates | 37°49′23″S 144°57′21″E / 37.822942°S 144.955893°E |
| Carries | Road, trams, pedestrians |
| Crosses | Yarra River |
| Locale | Melbourne, Australia |
| Characteristics | |
| Material | All steel superstructure[1] |
| Total length | 405 ft (123 m)[2] |
| Width | 80.6 ft (24.6 m) Roadway 12 ft (3.7 m) footways[2] |
| Height | 28.5 ft (8.7 m)[3] |
| Longest span | 130 ft (40 m)[4][5] |
| No. of spans | 3[2] |
| Piers in water | Concrete on cylindrical caissons faced with bluestone down to rock[2] |
| History | |
| Architect | Royal Victorian Institute of Architects Mr Oakley Mr Kermode Mr Perrin[6] |
| Engineering design by | Mr W. D. Chapman[7] |
| Constructed by | Railways Construction Branch |
| Construction start | 28 October 1927[8] |
| Construction end | 1930 |
| Construction cost | £168,700[7][9] |
| Location | |
 | |
The Spencer Street Bridge is a road and tram bridge over the Yarra River in Melbourne, Australia. It connects Spencer Street on the north bank with Clarendon Street on the south. The idea of a bridge at that point was first proposed in the mid-19th century.[10]
The design of the bridge was the result of a public competition, announced in November 1925.[11] It was won by Messrs. Edward Saunders and Alan Wilson, engineers, in conjunction with Messrs. Alfred R. La Gerche and W. E. Gower, architects.[12] The first pile was driven in October 1927.[10]
During construction engineers knew deep foundations would be required to find bedrock but, at 20 metres below sea level, they struck a red gum stump that took three weeks work to remove. It was dated at about 8,000 years old and appeared to have lived for well over 400 years.[13] The cantilever girder type, with steel girder suspended span bridge was completed in 1930,[2][14] with an adjacent glass and steel covered footbridge built alongside in 1998, as part of the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre.[15][16][17][18][19]
