Birkenhead Bridge

Bridge in Lefevre Peninsula

Birkenhead Bridge

Birkenhead Bridge in February 2010

Coordinates| 34°50′32″S 138°30′03″E﻿ / ﻿34.84230°S 138.50093°E﻿ / -34.84230; 138.50093
Carries| Nelson Street
Crosses| Port River
Locale| Lefevre Peninsula
Owner| Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure
Preceded by| Tom 'Diver' Derrick Bridge
Followed by| Jervois Bridge
Characteristics
Design| Bascule
Total length| 246 metres
Width| 16 metres
Clearance above| 5.4 metres
No. of lanes| 4 (as built)
2 (since 2014)
History
Constructed by| Adelaide Construction
Fabrication by| Perry Engineering
Opened| 14 December 1940
Location

The Birkenhead Bridge is a bascule bridge in Adelaide, Australia that crosses the Port River.

In February 1938, the Government of South Australia awarded a contract to Adelaide Construction to build a bridge across the Port River from Birkenhead to Port Adelaide, with Perry Engineering contracted to supply the steelwork.[1] The bridge was opened on 14 December 1940 by Governor Malcolm Barclay-Harvey.[2][3] It was one of only four bascule bridges in the world adapted for use by trolleybuses.[4]

In 2014, two of the four road lanes were converted into pedestrian and bike paths.[5] In 2020, the timber road deck has been replaced with fibre reinforced polymer and the timber footpath with aluminium.[6]

The bridge is listed on the South Australian Heritage Register.[7]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Bridge over river at Adelaide The Argus 8 February 1938 page 2
2. ^ Birkenhead Bridge Opened The Advertiser 16 December 1940 page 16
3. ^ Birkenhead Bridge SA History Hub
4. ^ Trolleybuses Trundle over Birkenhead Bascule Bridge Among Ourselves issue 87 August 1960
5. ^ Port Adelaide's Birkenhead Bridge still moving more than 16,000 vehicles daily in 75th anniversary year ABC Radio Adelaide 22 September 2015
6. ^ Birkenhead Bridge Upgrade Works Project Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure
7. ^ Birkenhead Bridge South Australia Heritage Places

## External links

[edit]

Media related to Birkenhead Bridge at Wikimedia Commons

* v
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Port Adelaide landmarks

Buildings and structures|

* Birkenhead Bridge
* Fishermen's Wharf Market
* Hart's Mill
* Jervois Bridge
* Mary MacKillop Bridge
* Port Adelaide Lighthouse
* Port Adelaide Workers Memorial
* Tom 'Diver' Derrick Bridge

Cultural institutions|

* National Railway Museum
* South Australian Aviation Museum
* South Australian Maritime Museum
* Torrens Island Concentration Camp

Beaches and islands|

* Garden Island
* Port River
* Semaphore
* Torrens Island

Sport|

* Alberton Oval / Port Adelaide Football Club

Ships and vessels|

* City of Adelaide
* Falie
* Fearless
* MV Nelcebee
* One and All
* Yelta

Pubs and hotels|

* Birkenhead Riverview Tavern (1877)
* The British Hotel (1847)
* Dockside Tavern (1850)
* First Commercial Inn (1841)
* Newmarket Hotel (1879)
* Port Admiral Hotel (1849)
* Port Anchor Hotel (1873)
* Port Dock Brewery Hotel (1855)
* Railway Hotel (1856)
* Royal Arms Hotel (1878)
* The Lighthouse Hotel (1857)
* Largs Pier Hotel (1882)
* Glanville Hotel (1865)
* Lord Exmouth Hotel (1859)

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