First proposals

Plans to build a bridge had been made as early as 1814, when the convict (convicted of falsifying a financial document) and prominent architect Francis Greenway reportedly proposed to Governor Lachlan Macquarie that a bridge be built from the north shore to the south shore of the bay. colony and the Motherland".[30]​.

Greenway's suggestions came to nothing, but the idea lived on and many more proposals were made during the century. In 1840, naval architect Robert Brindley proposed that a floating bridge be built. The engineer Peter Henderson made one of the first known drawings of a bridge across the bay around 1857. In 1879 a suggestion was made for a truss bridge, and in 1880 a high-rise bridge was proposed with an estimated cost of £850,000.[30]

In 1900, Governor William Lyne's cabinet undertook to build a new Central Station in Sydney, and organized a world competition for the design and construction of a bridge across the bay, overseen by Minister of Works Edward William O'Sullivan.[31] G.E.W. Cruttwell, a London-based engineer, received the first prize of £1,000. Local engineer Norman Selfe submitted a design for a suspension bridge and won the second prize of £500. In 1902, when the result of the first competition became mired in controversy, Selfe won a second competition, with a design for a steel cantilever bridge. The selection board was unanimous and commented that "the structural lines are correct and in true proportion, and... the outline is elegant."[32] However, due to an economic crisis and a change of government following the 1904 elections, construction never began.

Ernest Stowe proposed in 1922 a unique bridge with three decks, which would connect Balls Head, Millers Point and Balmain, linked in turn to a large central memorial tower located on Goat Island.[33]​[34]​.

Planning

In 1914, John Bradfield "John Bradfield (engineer)") was appointed chief engineer of the Sydney Harbor Bridge and Metropolitan Railway Construction, and his work on the project over many years earned him later recognition as the father of the bridge. Bradfield's preference at the time was for a cantilever bridge without abutments,[3] and in 1916 the New South Wales Legislative Assembly passed a bill for such a construction. However, the project was suspended, as the Legislative Council rejected the proposal, on the grounds that the money would be better spent on the war effort motivated by the outbreak of the First World War in 1914.[30]

After the end of the war, plans to build the bridge regained momentum.[6] Bradfield persevered with the project, developing the details of the specifications and financing of his proposed cantilever bridge, and in 1921 he traveled abroad to investigate how tenders were handled in other countries. Kathleen M. Butler, his confidential secretary (the name at the time for what would now be a technical advisor), handled all international correspondence during his absence.[35][36] Upon returning from his travels, Bradfield decided that an arch-shaped design would also be suitable,[30]​ and together with officials from the New South Wales Department of Public Works the general design[6]​ was prepared for a single-arch bridge based on the configuration of the Hell Gate Bridge, located in New York.[5][37] In 1922, the government passed the Sydney Harbor Bridge Act No. 28, which specified the construction of a high-rise cantilever or arch bridge across the bay between Dawes Point and Milsons Point, along with the construction of the necessary approaches and electric traction railway lines,[30] and companies from around the world were invited to tender for the project. world.[3]​.

As a result of the bidding process, the government received twenty proposals from six companies. On 24 March 1924, the contract was awarded to Dorman Long & Co of Middlesbrough, England, a company known for being the contractor for the Tyne Bridge at Newcastle upon Tyne, an arch bridge similar to that in Sydney budgeted at 4.2 million Australian pounds and which would open in 1928.[3][30]​ The arch design was more economical than alternative cantilever proposals and a bridge pendant, and also had greater structural rigidity, making it more suitable for the heavy loads expected (especially those associated with passing trains).[30] In 1924, Kathleen Butler traveled to London to establish the project office within Dorman, Long & Co., "attending to the most difficult and technical matters regarding the contract, and dealing with a large amount of correspondence."[38]

Ultimately, Bradfield and his staff would oversee the bridge design and construction process as executed by Dorman Long and Co, whose consulting engineer, Sir Ralph Freeman of consultancy firm Sir Douglas Fox and Partners&action=edit&redlink=1 "Douglas Fox (engineer) (not yet drafted)"), and his associate Georges Imbault, carried out the detailed design and construction process for the bridge.[3]​ The contractors' architects were from the British firm John Burnet & Partners") of Glasgow, Scotland.[21] Lawrence Ennis of Dorman Long served as construction manager and primary site supervisor throughout construction, with Edward Judge, Dorman Long's chief technical engineer, acting as consulting and design engineer.

The construction of the bridge coincided with the construction of an underground railway system under Sydney's financial district, known today as City Circle), and the bridge was designed with this in mind. Consequently, the deck was designed to accommodate six lanes of road traffic, flanked by two railway tracks on each side and a pedestrian sidewalk. Both sets of railway tracks were connected to the Wynyard underground station, located on the south side of the bridge (city side) by ramps. and symmetrical tunnels. The eastern side railway tracks were initially intended to be used by a planned rail link to the northern beaches. But they were eventually used to allow trams from the north coast to a terminus within Wynyard station, and when tram services were discontinued in 1958, they were converted into additional lanes for road traffic. It is named in honor of Bradfield's contribution to the bridge.

Construction

Bradfield visited the construction site sporadically during the eight years it took Dorman Long to complete the bridge. Despite having originally advocated a cantilever construction and the fact that his own overall arch design was not used either in the tender process or as input for the detailed design specification (in any case, it was a rough copy of the Hell Gate Bridge produced by the New South Wales Department of Works), he subsequently attempted to claim personal credit for the bridge design, which had actually been devised by the firm Dorman Long. This led to a bitter argument, in which the company awarded the project argued that directing others to produce a copy of an existing design in a document that was not subsequently used to specify the final construction, did not constitute personal design input by Bradfield. This friction eventually led to a large contemporary bronze plaque being screwed very firmly to the side of one of the bridge's granite columns to clear things up.[40]​.

The official ceremony to commemorate the laying of the first stone took place on July 28, 1923, at the site of Milsons Point where two workshops necessary for the construction of the bridge were to be built.[41][42]​.

It is estimated that building the bridge approaches required the demolition of 469 buildings on the north coast, both private homes and commercial buildings, and little or no compensation was paid. Work on the bridge began with the construction of the approaches and accompanying spans, and in September 1926 the concrete pillars necessary to support the access sections on each side of the port were placed.[41]​.

While the approaches were being built, work also began to prepare the foundations planned to support the enormous weight of the arch and the loads that the bridge would have to support. The abutment towers "Stirrup (engineering)") were built with concrete and granite facing, with angled foundations arranged on their sides.[41]​.

Once work on the support structures had progressed sufficiently, a giant "Crane (machine)") climbing crane was erected on each side of the bay.[43] These cranes were equipped with a platform, and were used to lift men and materials into position to allow the erection of the steel structure. To stabilize the work while the beginnings of the arch were being built, tunnels were dug on each bank with steel cables arranged inside, which were fixed to the upper sections of each half-arch under construction, to prevent them from collapsing as they extended towards the key.[41]​.

Construction of the arch began on October 26, 1928. Work was done on the south end of the bridge before the north end, to detect possible errors and thus facilitate the correct alignment of the two semi-arches. The cranes would "climb" over the arches as they were built, and would eventually meet at the keystone of the arch. In less than two years, on August 19, 1930, the two halves of the arch touched for the first time. Workers riveted the upper and lower sections of the arch, making it self-supporting, allowing the support cables to be removed. On August 20, 1930, the union of the arches was celebrated by flying the flags of Australia and the United Kingdom on the arms of climbing cranes.[41]​[44]​.

Official opening ceremony

The bridge was formally opened on Saturday 19 March 1932. The Premier of New South Wales, Jack Lang&action=edit&redlink=1 "Jack Lang (Australian politician) (not yet drafted)"), was to open the bridge by cutting a ribbon at its southern end.[54]​.

However, just as Lang was about to cut the ribbon, a man in military uniform rode up on horseback, cut the ribbon with his sword and opened the Sydney Harbor Bridge on behalf of the people of New South Wales, just before it was to be officially made. The rider, Francis de Groot, was immediately arrested. The ribbon was hastily retied and Lang performed the official opening ceremony. Sir Philip Game inaugurated the bridge as Sydney Harbor Bridge and the associated road as Bradfield Highway. After doing so, a 21-gun salute ensued and a squadron of Royal Australian Air Force airplanes flew over the bridge. trespasser, identified as Francis de Groot"), was found guilty of offensive behavior and fined £5, after a psychiatric test proved he was sane, although this verdict would be overturned on appeal. De Groot subsequently successfully sued the police commissioner for wrongful arrest and obtained an undisclosed out-of-court settlement. De Groot was a member of a right-wing paramilitary group called the New Guard, opposed to Lang's leftist policies and resentful of the fact that no member of the British royal family had been asked to inaugurate the bridge. De Groot was not a member of the regular army, but his uniform allowed him to mix with the royal cavalry. This incident was one of several involving Lang and the New Guard during that year.

A similar opening ceremony on the north side of the bridge, led by Northern Sydney Mayor Alderman Primrose, took place without incident. It was later discovered that Primrose was also a member of the New Guard, but her role and knowledge of the Groot incident, if any, is unclear. The pair of golden scissors used in the ribbon-cutting ceremonies on both sides of the bridge had also been used the previous year to cut the ribbon at the opening of the Bayonne Bridge, which connected Bayonne (New Jersey) "Bayonne (New Jersey)") and New York.[56][57]​.

Despite the bridge's opening during the Great Depression, the opening celebrations were promoted by the Sydney Citizens' Organizing Committee, an influential body of prominent men and politicians that was formed in 1931 under the chairmanship of the Mayor of Sydney. The celebrations included a series of decorated floats, a parade of passenger boats sailing under the bridge, and a Venetian-style carnival.[58] A message from a primary school in Tottenham&action=edit&redlink=1 "Tottenham, New South Wales (not yet redacted)"), a town located about 515 km (320 mi) from Sydney in rural New South Wales, arrived at the bridge that day and was read at the ceremony opening. It had been carried from Tottenham to the bridge by relays of schoolchildren, the final relay having been carried out by two students from the nearby Fort Street Girls' and Boys' Schools. Following the official events, the public was allowed to cross the bridge over the causeway, something that would not be repeated until the 50th anniversary celebrations. Estimates suggest that between 300,000 and one million people participated in the opening celebrations, an impressive figure considering that the total population of Sydney at the time was around 1,256,000.

En 2010, el tráfico medio diario incluía 204 trenes, 160.435 vehículos y 1.650 bicicletas.[64]​.

Road

From the Sydney CBD side, motor vehicle access to the bridge is via Grosvenor Street, Clarence Street, Kent Street, Cahill Expressway or the Western Distributor. Drivers on the north side merge onto the Warringah Freeway, although it's easy to exit the freeway to drive west towards North Sydney, or east to Neutral Bay and beyond on the north side.

Originally, as photographs taken shortly after the inauguration clearly show, the bridge only had four wider travel lanes, which occupied the central space, which now has six. In 1958 tram services crossing the bridge were removed and the tracks were replaced by two additional lanes that remain on the left side as you travel southbound, and are separated from the other six lanes by a median "Median (traffic)"). Lanes 7 and 8 now connect the bridge to the elevated Cahill Expressway, which directs traffic to the East Interchange.

In 1988 work began on the construction of a tunnel to complement the bridge, as the bridge could no longer support the increased traffic flow of the 1980s. The Sydney Harbor Tunnel was completed in August 1992 and carries motor vehicles only.

The Bradfield Highway is designated as a transhumant cattle route,[65] which means that herds of cattle are permitted to cross the bridge under their own power, but only between midnight and dawn, and after giving notice of their intention to do so. In practice, the last time cattle crossed the bridge was in 1999, on the occasion of the Gelbvieh Livestock Congress.[66]​.

Reversible rails

The bridge is equipped with reversible lanes, allowing the direction of traffic flow on the bridge to be modified to better accommodate morning and afternoon rush hour traffic patterns.[67]​.

The bridge has eight lanes, numbered one through eight from west to east. Lanes three, four and five are reversible. One and two always head north. Six, seven and eight always flow south. The default is four lanes in each direction. For the morning rush hour, lane changes on the bridge also require changes on the Warringah Freeway, with its reversible inner western carriageway directing traffic to the southbound number three and four lanes of the bridge. Until September 1982, during the afternoon rush hour, the flow was established at six northbound lanes and two southbound lanes.[68]​.

The bridge has a series of elevated gantries that indicate the direction of flow of each lane of traffic. A green arrow pointing toward a traffic lane means the lane is open. A flashing red "X" indicates that the lane is closing, but is not yet in use for traffic traveling in the other direction. A static red "X" means the lane is in use for oncoming traffic. This arrangement was introduced in January 1986, replacing a slow operation in which lane markers were moved manually to mark the center median.[69]​.

Exceptional lane direction configurations may be seen during nighttime periods when maintenance work is being carried out, which may involve the complete closure of some lanes. Normally this is done between midnight and dawn, due to the enormous level of traffic that the bridge supports outside of these hours.

When the Sydney Harbor Tunnel opened in August 1992, lane 7 was converted to a bus lane.[70][71]​.

Tolls

The vehicle lanes on the bridge are regulated by a toll system. Since January 2009, a variable toll system has been in place for all vehicles heading to the Sydney CBD (southbound). The toll paid depends on the time of day the vehicle passes the toll plaza, which in 2022 ranged from a minimum value of 2.50 Australian dollars to a maximum value of 4 Australian dollars.[72] There is no toll for northbound traffic (although taxis traveling north may charge passengers a toll for the return trip). In 2017, the Bradfield Highway northern toll plaza infrastructure was removed and replaced with new elevated gantries to serve all southbound traffic.[73] Following this upgrade, in 2018 all southbound toll plaza infrastructure was also removed.[74] Only the Cahill Expressway toll plaza infrastructure remains. The toll was originally introduced in both directions to recover the cost of constructing the bridge (which was achieved in 1988), but the toll was maintained (in fact increased) to recover the cost of constructing the Sydney Harbor tunnel.[75][76]​.

Originally, the crossing cost sixpence for a car or motorbike, and threepence for a horse and rider. The use of the bridge by cyclists (as long as they use the bike lane) and pedestrians is free. Later governments capped the motorcycle fare at a quarter of the charge for a passenger vehicle, but it is now back to the same as the cost of a passenger vehicle, although there are flat-rate quarterly passes that are much cheaper for frequent users.[77] There were originally six toll booths at the south end of the bridge, which were replaced by 16 booths in 1950.[78] The toll was collected in both directions until 4 July 1970, when it was modified to apply only to southbound traffic.[79][80]​.

After the decision was made to build the Sydney Harbor Tunnel in the early 1980s, the toll was increased (from 20 cents to $1, then to $1.50 in March 1989 and finally to $2 when the tunnel opened) to pay for its construction.[81] The tunnel also had an initial southbound toll of $2. After the increase to $1, the height of the concrete barrier located on the bridge to separate the Bradfield Highway from the Cahill Highway was increased due to the large number of drivers crossing improperly from lanes 6 to 7, to avoid the toll.

The southbound toll was increased to $2.20 in July 2000 to take into account the newly imposed Goods and Services Tax (GST).[82][83]​ The toll rate increased again in January 2002, reaching $3.[84]​.

In July 2008, a new electronic toll system called e-TAG was introduced. The Sydney Harbor Tunnel was adapted to this new toll system, while the bridge still had several lanes for cash payment. The electronic system as of January 12, 2009 has replaced all booths with E-tag lanes.[85] In January 2017 work began to remove the south side toll booths.[86] In August 2020, the remaining toll booths at Milsons Point were removed.[87][88] Tolls were increased in October 2023 for the first time. in 14 years.[89]​.

Pedestrians

The pedestrian-only sidewalk is located on the east side of the bridge. Access from the north side involves climbing an easily visible flight of stairs, located on the east side of the bridge at Broughton Street (Kirribilli). Pedestrian access on the south side is more complicated, but signs in The Rocks area now direct pedestrians to the long, protected flight of stairs leading to the south end of the bridge. These stairs are located near Gloucester Street and Cumberland Street.

The bridge can also be reached on foot from the south by accessing the Cahill Walk, which is part of the Cahill Expressway. Pedestrians can access this walkway from the eastern end of Circular Quay via a flight of stairs or a lift. Alternatively, it can be accessed from the Royal Botanical Garden.[90]​.

Cyclists

The bicycle-only cycle path is located on the western side of the bridge. Access from the north side involves carrying or pushing the bike up a staircase, consisting of 55 steps, located on the western side of the bridge on Burton Street, Milsons Point. A wide strip of smooth concrete in the center of the stairs allows bicycles to be raised and lowered from the bridge deck while the cyclist walks. A campaign to remove steps on this popular cycle route to Sydney's CBD has been underway since at least 2008. On 7 December 2016, NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay confirmed that the northern staircase would be replaced with a ramp that would prevent cyclists from having to navigate the stairs on foot. At the same time, the NSW government announced plans to upgrade the southern ramp. both projects are expected to be completed by the end of 2020.[93]​[94]​[95]​ Access to the bike path on the south side is via the north end of the Kent Street and/or Upper Fort St. bike path, which begins at The Rocks.[96]​.

Railway

The bridge is located between Milsons Point and Wynyard stations, located on the north and south shores respectively, with two tracks running along the western side of the bridge. These tracks are part of the North Coast Line.

In 1958 tram services crossing the bridge were cancelled, and the tracks they had used were removed in order to provide two additional lanes for road traffic, which are now the leftmost lanes when traveling south over the bridge and are still clearly distinguished from the other six lanes. The original ramp that took trams to the tube terminus at Wynyard Station is still visible at the south end of the main walkway under lanes 7 and 8, although around 1964, the former tunnels and tram station were converted for use as car parking for both the Menzies Hotel and the general public. One of the tunnels was converted for use as a storage facility after it was reportedly used as a pistol range by the New South Wales Police.[97]​.

Maintenance

The Sydney Harbor Bridge requires constant inspections and other maintenance work in order to keep it safe for the public who uses it and protect it from corrosion. Among the trades required in the maintenance tasks of the bridge are painters "Painter (profession)"), forgers, boilermakers, fitters, electricians, stuccoers, carpenters, plumbers and surveyors.[37]​.

The most notable maintenance work on the bridge involves painting. The steel structure of the bridge to be painted totals an area of ​​485,000 m² (119.8 acre), the equivalent of sixty football fields. Each layer of the bridge requires 30,000 L (6,599.1 impgal) of paint.[37]​ A special quick-drying paint is used, so that the paint drops dry before reaching the vehicles or the bridge surface.[18]​ Australian comedian and actor Paul Hogan worked as a bridge surveyor before rising to media fame in the 1970s.[6]​.

In 2003, the Highways and Traffic Authority began completely repainting the southern approach spans of the bridge. This involved removing the old layer of lead-based paint and repainting the 90,000 m² (22.2 acre) of steel beneath the deck. Workers operated from autonomous platforms positioned below the deck, and each platform had an air extraction system equipped with particulate filtration. A sandblasting system was used, which allowed waste containing lead to be collected to be safely removed and disposed of.[37]​.

Between December 2006 and March 2010, the bridge underwent works designed to ensure its longevity. The work included structural reinforcement work.[98]​.

Since 2013, two specially developed shot blasting robots have been used with the University of Technology Sydney to assist in the paint stripping operation on the bridge.[99]​ The robots, nicknamed Rosie and Sandy,[100]​ are intended to reduce the potential exposure of workers to dangerous lead paint and asbestos traces, as well as reduce the risks associated with abrasive material spraying equipment used to remove old paint, which is strong enough to to cut clothing and skin.[101]​.

• - Stan Giddings, maintenance worker painting the Sydney Harbor Bridge, 1945, by Alec Iverson.

• - Maintenance team painting the bridge.

• - Bridge arch after reinforcement, with some new steel parts indicated with red circles.

Southeast pylon

The bridge was such a prominent feature of Sydney that it attracted interest from tourists even during its construction. One of the most attractive points of the bridge for visitors is the viewpoint of the southeast pylon, which is accessed through the pedestrian sidewalk that runs along the bridge, and after climbing about 200 steps.[16]​.

Shortly after the bridge opened, beginning in 1934, Archer Whitford had the idea of ​​turning this pylon into a tourist destination.[102] He installed a number of attractions, including a cafe, a camera obscura, a museum about Aboriginal culture, a "Mother's Corner" where visitors could write letters, and a "passometer." The main attraction was the viewing platform, where "charming assistants" helped visitors use the available telescope,[102] and the copper cladding (still present) placed on the granite. Markings on the railings allowed Sydney suburbs and landmarks to be identified.[103]​.

The outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 caused the cessation of tourist activities on the bridge, when the military took charge of the four pylons and modified them to include protective parapets and a series of anti-aircraft guns.[104]​.

In 1948, Yvonne Rentoul opened the "All Australian Exhibition" at the pylon, which included dioramas and showed Australian perspectives on topics such as agriculture, sport, transport, mining and the military. An orientation table was set up at the viewing point, along with a wall guide and binoculars. The manager had several white cats on a rooftop, which also served as an attraction, and there was a souvenir shop and a post office. Rentoul's lease[105]​ expired in 1971 and the pylon and its viewing platform remained closed to the public for more than a decade.[106]​.

In 1982 the pylon was reopened, with a new exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the bridge.[107] In 1987 a "Bicentenary Exhibition" was opened to commemorate the 1988 bicentenary of European settlement in Australia.[108]

The pylon was closed from April to November 2000 so that the Highways and Traffic Authority and the BridgeClimb organizers could create a new exhibition called "Proud Arch". The exhibition focused on Bradfield and included a glass radio direction finder on the observation level and several important heritage items.[109]​.

It was closed again for four weeks in 2003 for the installation of an exhibition called "Dangerous Works", highlighting the precarious conditions experienced by the original construction workers on the bridge, and the installation of two stained glass windows in memory of the workers.[110]

Climbing the arch of the bridge

In the 1950s and 1960s, news stories occasionally appeared in newspapers about climbers who had illegally traversed the bridge arch during the night. In 1973, Philippe Petit crossed between the two pylons at the south end of the bridge on a cable stretched between them. Since 1998, the BridgeClimb")[111]​ has made it possible for tourists to legally climb the southern half of the bridge. Tours run all day, from dawn to night, and are only canceled in the event of thunderstorms or high winds.[112]​.

Groups of climbers are provided with protective clothing appropriate to the prevailing weather conditions and given an orientation briefing before climbing. During the climb, attendees are secured to the bridge by a wire lifeline. The route begins on the east side of the bridge and ascends to the keystone of the arch. At the top, the group crosses to the western side of the arch to begin the descent in the opposite direction. Each ascent lasts three and a half hours, including preparations.[112]​.

In December 2006, the organization BridgeClimb[111]​ launched an alternative to climbing the bridge arch from the top. The Discovery Climb allows climbers to traverse the lower ridge of the bridge arch and see its internal structure. From the apex of the lower range, climbers climb a ladder to a platform located at the top.[111]​.

Desde su apertura, el puente ha sido el punto focal de los numerosos turistas que visitan Sídney, de muestras de orgullo nacional e incluso de masivas protestas.[113]​.

50th anniversary celebrations

In 1982 the 50th anniversary of the bridge's inauguration was celebrated. For the first time since its opening in 1932, it was closed to most vehicles, with the exception of vintage vehicles, and pedestrians were allowed full access during the day.[13] The celebrations were attended by Edward Judge, who represented the British company that designed and built the bridge, Dorman Long.[114][115]

Australia Bicentennial Day Celebrations

Australia's Bicentennial was celebrated on January 26, 1988, and attracted large crowds to the vicinity of the bridge, while many curious onlookers flocked to the beaches to witness the events from there. The highlight was the largest sailing ship parade ever held in Sydney, with square-rigged vessels from around the world, surrounded by hundreds of smaller vessels, passing majestically under the Sydney Harbor Bridge. The day's festivities culminated in a fireworks display, with the bridge being the focal point of the finale, with fireworks erupting from the arch and onto the roadway. This spectacle would become the pattern for later fireworks.

New Year's Eve in Sydney

The Bay Bridge has been an integral part of Sydney's New Year's Eve celebrations and is usually put to spectacular use during the fireworks displays at 9pm. m. and midnight. In recent times, the bridge has included a light display arranged on a rack suspended in the center of the eastern arch, which is used to complement the fireworks. The scaffolding and structure were clearly visible a few weeks before the event, revealing the outline of the design.

During the millennium celebrations in 2000, the Sydney Harbor Bridge was illuminated with the word "Eternity (graffiti)", as a tribute to the legacy of Arthur Stace), a Sydney artist who for many years etched the word into sidewalks with chalk and intricate ribbon-filled calligraphy, even though he was illiterate.[116]

The motifs mounted from the bridge have been the following:[117]​.

• - New Year's 1997: a Smiley.

• - New Year's 1999: the word "Eternity "Eternity (grafiti)")" with elaborate calligraphy full of bows[118]​.

• - New Year 2000: Rainbow Serpent and the Australian Federation Star.

• - New Year 2001: Mount Uluru, the Crux constellation and the dove of peace.

• - New Year 2002: dove of peace and the word "PEACE".

• - New Year's 2003: light show.

• - New Year's 2004: "fanfare".

• - New Year 2005: three concentric hearts "Heart (symbol)").

• - New Year 2006: a coat hanger and a diamond.

• - New Year 2007: mandala.

• - New Year 2008: a sun.

• - New Year 2009: Taijitu symbol, a blue moon and a ring of fire.

• - New Year 2010: handprint, "X" mark and a stain.

• - New Year 2011: cartoon speech bubble "Balloon (comic)"), sun and rainbow.

• - New Year 2012: butterfly and a lip.

• - New Year 2013: be careful.

• - New Year 2014: light bulb.

• - New Year's Eve from 2015 onwards: light shows.

The New Year's Eve countdown numbers also appear on the east side of the bridge's pylons.[119]​.

March for reconciliation

In May 2000, the bridge was closed to vehicle access for a day to allow a special "Walk for Reconciliation" march to take place. The march was organized as an act of redress following an investigation into the Stolen Generations (Australia) of Aboriginal children, forcibly placed in the care of white parents in a little-publicized state government scheme. It is estimated that between 200,000 and 300,000 people walked across the bridge in a symbolic gesture to end the division between whites and Aboriginal people.[120]​.

Sydney 2000 Olympic Games

During the Sydney Olympic Games, held in the Australian city between September and October 2000, the bridge was decorated with the Olympic rings, and was part of the Olympic torch route to the stadium. The men's and women's marathons also included crossing the bridge as part of their route to the Olympic stadium, where a fireworks display was also held at the end of the closing ceremony. Since then, the east side of the bridge has been used several times as a setting for launching fireworks, especially during elaborate New Year's Eve displays.[121]

Formula 1 promotion

In 2005, driver Mark Webber drove a Williams-BMW Formula 1 car across the bridge.[122]

75th anniversary

In 2007, the 75th anniversary of its opening was commemorated with an exhibition at the Museum of Sydney, called "Bridging Sydney".[123]​ An initiative of the Historic Buildings Trust, the exhibition featured previously unpublished documents, including photographs and paintings with alternative proposals, plans and sketches for rare and never-before-seen bridges and tunnels.[124]​.

March 18, 2007 marked the 75th anniversary of the Sydney Harbor Bridge. The occasion was marked with an opening ceremony by Governor Marie Bashir and Prime Minister Morris Iemma. The bridge was subsequently closed to traffic and opened to pedestrians wishing to walk south from Milsons Point or North Sydney. Several major roads, mainly in the CBD, were closed for the day. An Aboriginal smoke inhalation ceremony was held at 7pm. m.[125]​[126]​.

Approximately 250,000 people participated in the event (50,000 more than registered). Bright green souvenir caps were distributed to walkers. A series of speakers placed at intervals on the bridge formed a display of sound documents. Each set of speakers broadcast sound and music from a particular era (e.g. King Edward VIII's abdication speech; or Gough Whitlam's speech in Parliament during the constitutional crisis of 1975), the overall effect being that the soundscape would "flow" through history as walkers made their way across the bridge. A light show began after sunset and continued well into the night, bathing the bridge in ever-changing multicolor lighting designed to highlight the bridge's structural features. At night, the bright yellow caps were replaced with orange caps with a small, bright LED light. The bridge was closed to pedestrians around 8:30 p.m. m.

Breakfast on the bridge

On 25 October 2009, grass was laid over the eight paved lanes, and 6,000 people held a picnic on the bridge accompanied by live music.[127] The event was repeated in 2010.[128] Although originally scheduled again for 2011, the event was moved to Bondi Beach due to concerns about the effect on vehicle traffic that the prolonged closure of the bridge could cause. bridge.[129]​[130]​.

80th anniversary

On March 19, 2012, the 80th anniversary of the Sydney Harbor Bridge was celebrated with a picnic dedicated to the stories of people with personal connections to the bridge.[131]​ In addition, Google dedicated its doodle on the 19th to the event.[132]​

During the celebration, New South Wales Highways Minister Duncan Gay released a proposal to improve the bridge's toll systems.[133]

protests

Several protests have caused riots on the Sydney Harbor Bridge. In 2019, Greenpeace activists scaled the bridge and were arrested shortly afterwards.[134] In 2021, several truck and bus drivers blocked the bridge for several hours; They were protesting the COVID-19 lockdown.[135]​.

Environmental activist Violet Coco") blocked a lane of traffic in 2022 as part of a climate change protest.[136]​.

Historically, the Australian and New South Wales flags had flown over the bridge, with the Aboriginal flag flying for nineteen days a year. effect.[138][139] In July 2022, it was announced that the Aboriginal flag would replace the New South Wales flag, which was given a prominent location within the redevelopment of Macquarie Street East, near the Royal Mint and Hyde Park Barracks "Hyde Park Barracks (Sydney)."[140]​.

At the time of its construction and until recently, the bridge was the longest single-span steel arch in the world. Its pylons and its entrances are important elements of the urban landscape of nearby areas and also of some remote areas. The curved approach to the north offers a grand entry into the bay with continually changing views of the bridge and harbor. The bridge has been an important factor in the growth pattern of the Sydney metropolitan area, particularly in the residential development of the post-World War II years. By the 1960s and 1970s, the central business district had extended to the north side of the bridge, in North Sydney, which was due in part to the easy access provided by the bridge and also to the increasing traffic problems associated with it.[145][146]​.

The Sydney Harbor Bridge was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 25 June 1999, having met the following criteria:[146]​.

Place is important in demonstrating the course or pattern of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales..

The bridge is one of the most notable feats of structural construction. At the time of its construction and until recently, it was the longest single-span steel arch bridge in the world and remains the largest overall.[145][146]​.

"The archaeological remains demonstrate an earlier phase of urban development within Milsons Point and the wider northern Sydney precinct. The walls are physical evidence that several 19th-century residences existed at the site, which were resumed and demolished as part of the construction of the Sydney Harbor Bridge."[146]​[147][148]​.

Place is important to demonstrate aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales..

The bridge, its pylons and its accesses are important elements of the urban landscape of areas near and far from it. The curved approach to the north offers a grand entrance to the bridge with continually changing views of the bridge and the bay.[145]​[146]​.

The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons..

The bridge has been an important factor in the growth pattern of the Sydney metropolitan area, particularly residential development in the years following the Second World War. By the 1960s and 1970s, the central business district had extended to the north side of the bridge in North Sydney, which was partly due to the easy access provided by the bridge and also due to the increasing traffic problems associated with the bridge.[145][146]​.

The site has the potential to provide information that contributes to the understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales..

"The archaeological remains have some potential to provide information on the previous residential and commercial occupation of Milsons Point prior to the construction of the Sydney Harbor Bridge transport link."[146]​[147][148]​.

The bridge was listed as a National Engineering Monument by Engineers Australia") in 1988, as part of its Engineering Heritage Recognition Program.[149]​.

• - Annex: Longest arch bridges in the world.

Literature

• - Four articles on the design and construction of the bridge in volume 238 of the Minutes of the Institution of Civil Engineers, 1935 Kinley.

• - Knezevic, Daniel, (1947), "The Lost Bridge."

Attribution

• - This Wikipedia article contains material from the Sydney Harbor Bridge, approaches and viaducts (road and rail) entry number 781 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by the State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence, accessed 13 October 2018.

Texts:.

• - Portal:Engineering. Content related to Engineering.

• - Wikimedia Commons hosts a multimedia category on Sydney Harbor Bridge.

• - Wikimedia Commons hosts a multimedia category on Sydney Harbor Bridge "commons:Category:Sydney Harbor Bridge (construction)").

• - Wikiquote hosts famous quotes from or about Sydney Harbor Bridge.

• - Sydney Town Hall.

• - [CC-By-SA]. Features 'Sydney Harbor Bridge' by Jim Poe, 2014 and 'Building the Sydney Harbor Bridge' by Laila Ellmoos and Lisa Murray, 2015, with images.

• - BridgeClimb.

• - The Sydney Harbor Bridge turns 75 – Daily Telégrafo report.

• - Men at work: Sydney Harbor Bridge – Australian Geographic Archived September 28, 2011 at the Wayback Machine.

• - 75th Anniversary Celebrations Archived August 31, 2010 at the Wayback Machine.

• - NSW Bike Plan - Bike information for New South Wales.

• - Sydney Harbor Bridge Archived February 26, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. – News and events.

• - Description of the SHB project in the 1924 newspaper, including statistics and dimensions.

• - Story of an illegal climb to a bridge in 1961.

• - . Illustrated account of the construction and completion of the bridge.

• - Railway loading width.

• - Railroad Loading Gauge Discussion Archived February 15, 2017 at the Wayback Machine.

Webcams:.

• - Road Traffic Authority webcams Archived April 8, 2011 at the Wayback Machine.

Images:.

• - Interactive images of proposals.

• - Bridge during construction.

• - "The arch bridge in Australia will have a record span", Popular Mechanics, May 1929.

• - Aerial views of the opening celebrations, March 19, 1932 / photographed by W. E. Searle.

• - Sydney Harbor Bridge during the Olympic Games, September 19-26, 2000 / Loui Seselja.

• - Picnic on the Sydney Harbor Bridge / Sigmate Studio.

• - Breakfast on the bridge / Daniel Boud.

• - Buildings and roads around North Sydney and the Sydney Harbor Bridge, 1958-1961 / Wolfgang Sievers.

First proposals

Plans to build a bridge had been made as early as 1814, when the convict (convicted of falsifying a financial document) and prominent architect Francis Greenway reportedly proposed to Governor Lachlan Macquarie that a bridge be built from the north shore to the south shore of the bay. colony and the Motherland".[30]​.

Greenway's suggestions came to nothing, but the idea lived on and many more proposals were made during the century. In 1840, naval architect Robert Brindley proposed that a floating bridge be built. The engineer Peter Henderson made one of the first known drawings of a bridge across the bay around 1857. In 1879 a suggestion was made for a truss bridge, and in 1880 a high-rise bridge was proposed with an estimated cost of £850,000.[30]

In 1900, Governor William Lyne's cabinet undertook to build a new Central Station in Sydney, and organized a world competition for the design and construction of a bridge across the bay, overseen by Minister of Works Edward William O'Sullivan.[31] G.E.W. Cruttwell, a London-based engineer, received the first prize of £1,000. Local engineer Norman Selfe submitted a design for a suspension bridge and won the second prize of £500. In 1902, when the result of the first competition became mired in controversy, Selfe won a second competition, with a design for a steel cantilever bridge. The selection board was unanimous and commented that "the structural lines are correct and in true proportion, and... the outline is elegant."[32] However, due to an economic crisis and a change of government following the 1904 elections, construction never began.

Ernest Stowe proposed in 1922 a unique bridge with three decks, which would connect Balls Head, Millers Point and Balmain, linked in turn to a large central memorial tower located on Goat Island.[33]​[34]​.

Planning

In 1914, John Bradfield "John Bradfield (engineer)") was appointed chief engineer of the Sydney Harbor Bridge and Metropolitan Railway Construction, and his work on the project over many years earned him later recognition as the father of the bridge. Bradfield's preference at the time was for a cantilever bridge without abutments,[3] and in 1916 the New South Wales Legislative Assembly passed a bill for such a construction. However, the project was suspended, as the Legislative Council rejected the proposal, on the grounds that the money would be better spent on the war effort motivated by the outbreak of the First World War in 1914.[30]

After the end of the war, plans to build the bridge regained momentum.[6] Bradfield persevered with the project, developing the details of the specifications and financing of his proposed cantilever bridge, and in 1921 he traveled abroad to investigate how tenders were handled in other countries. Kathleen M. Butler, his confidential secretary (the name at the time for what would now be a technical advisor), handled all international correspondence during his absence.[35][36] Upon returning from his travels, Bradfield decided that an arch-shaped design would also be suitable,[30]​ and together with officials from the New South Wales Department of Public Works the general design[6]​ was prepared for a single-arch bridge based on the configuration of the Hell Gate Bridge, located in New York.[5][37] In 1922, the government passed the Sydney Harbor Bridge Act No. 28, which specified the construction of a high-rise cantilever or arch bridge across the bay between Dawes Point and Milsons Point, along with the construction of the necessary approaches and electric traction railway lines,[30] and companies from around the world were invited to tender for the project. world.[3]​.

As a result of the bidding process, the government received twenty proposals from six companies. On 24 March 1924, the contract was awarded to Dorman Long & Co of Middlesbrough, England, a company known for being the contractor for the Tyne Bridge at Newcastle upon Tyne, an arch bridge similar to that in Sydney budgeted at 4.2 million Australian pounds and which would open in 1928.[3][30]​ The arch design was more economical than alternative cantilever proposals and a bridge pendant, and also had greater structural rigidity, making it more suitable for the heavy loads expected (especially those associated with passing trains).[30] In 1924, Kathleen Butler traveled to London to establish the project office within Dorman, Long & Co., "attending to the most difficult and technical matters regarding the contract, and dealing with a large amount of correspondence."[38]

Ultimately, Bradfield and his staff would oversee the bridge design and construction process as executed by Dorman Long and Co, whose consulting engineer, Sir Ralph Freeman of consultancy firm Sir Douglas Fox and Partners&action=edit&redlink=1 "Douglas Fox (engineer) (not yet drafted)"), and his associate Georges Imbault, carried out the detailed design and construction process for the bridge.[3]​ The contractors' architects were from the British firm John Burnet & Partners") of Glasgow, Scotland.[21] Lawrence Ennis of Dorman Long served as construction manager and primary site supervisor throughout construction, with Edward Judge, Dorman Long's chief technical engineer, acting as consulting and design engineer.

The construction of the bridge coincided with the construction of an underground railway system under Sydney's financial district, known today as City Circle), and the bridge was designed with this in mind. Consequently, the deck was designed to accommodate six lanes of road traffic, flanked by two railway tracks on each side and a pedestrian sidewalk. Both sets of railway tracks were connected to the Wynyard underground station, located on the south side of the bridge (city side) by ramps. and symmetrical tunnels. The eastern side railway tracks were initially intended to be used by a planned rail link to the northern beaches. But they were eventually used to allow trams from the north coast to a terminus within Wynyard station, and when tram services were discontinued in 1958, they were converted into additional lanes for road traffic. It is named in honor of Bradfield's contribution to the bridge.

Construction

Bradfield visited the construction site sporadically during the eight years it took Dorman Long to complete the bridge. Despite having originally advocated a cantilever construction and the fact that his own overall arch design was not used either in the tender process or as input for the detailed design specification (in any case, it was a rough copy of the Hell Gate Bridge produced by the New South Wales Department of Works), he subsequently attempted to claim personal credit for the bridge design, which had actually been devised by the firm Dorman Long. This led to a bitter argument, in which the company awarded the project argued that directing others to produce a copy of an existing design in a document that was not subsequently used to specify the final construction, did not constitute personal design input by Bradfield. This friction eventually led to a large contemporary bronze plaque being screwed very firmly to the side of one of the bridge's granite columns to clear things up.[40]​.

The official ceremony to commemorate the laying of the first stone took place on July 28, 1923, at the site of Milsons Point where two workshops necessary for the construction of the bridge were to be built.[41][42]​.

It is estimated that building the bridge approaches required the demolition of 469 buildings on the north coast, both private homes and commercial buildings, and little or no compensation was paid. Work on the bridge began with the construction of the approaches and accompanying spans, and in September 1926 the concrete pillars necessary to support the access sections on each side of the port were placed.[41]​.

While the approaches were being built, work also began to prepare the foundations planned to support the enormous weight of the arch and the loads that the bridge would have to support. The abutment towers "Stirrup (engineering)") were built with concrete and granite facing, with angled foundations arranged on their sides.[41]​.

Once work on the support structures had progressed sufficiently, a giant "Crane (machine)") climbing crane was erected on each side of the bay.[43] These cranes were equipped with a platform, and were used to lift men and materials into position to allow the erection of the steel structure. To stabilize the work while the beginnings of the arch were being built, tunnels were dug on each bank with steel cables arranged inside, which were fixed to the upper sections of each half-arch under construction, to prevent them from collapsing as they extended towards the key.[41]​.

Construction of the arch began on October 26, 1928. Work was done on the south end of the bridge before the north end, to detect possible errors and thus facilitate the correct alignment of the two semi-arches. The cranes would "climb" over the arches as they were built, and would eventually meet at the keystone of the arch. In less than two years, on August 19, 1930, the two halves of the arch touched for the first time. Workers riveted the upper and lower sections of the arch, making it self-supporting, allowing the support cables to be removed. On August 20, 1930, the union of the arches was celebrated by flying the flags of Australia and the United Kingdom on the arms of climbing cranes.[41]​[44]​.

Official opening ceremony

The bridge was formally opened on Saturday 19 March 1932. The Premier of New South Wales, Jack Lang&action=edit&redlink=1 "Jack Lang (Australian politician) (not yet drafted)"), was to open the bridge by cutting a ribbon at its southern end.[54]​.

However, just as Lang was about to cut the ribbon, a man in military uniform rode up on horseback, cut the ribbon with his sword and opened the Sydney Harbor Bridge on behalf of the people of New South Wales, just before it was to be officially made. The rider, Francis de Groot, was immediately arrested. The ribbon was hastily retied and Lang performed the official opening ceremony. Sir Philip Game inaugurated the bridge as Sydney Harbor Bridge and the associated road as Bradfield Highway. After doing so, a 21-gun salute ensued and a squadron of Royal Australian Air Force airplanes flew over the bridge. trespasser, identified as Francis de Groot"), was found guilty of offensive behavior and fined £5, after a psychiatric test proved he was sane, although this verdict would be overturned on appeal. De Groot subsequently successfully sued the police commissioner for wrongful arrest and obtained an undisclosed out-of-court settlement. De Groot was a member of a right-wing paramilitary group called the New Guard, opposed to Lang's leftist policies and resentful of the fact that no member of the British royal family had been asked to inaugurate the bridge. De Groot was not a member of the regular army, but his uniform allowed him to mix with the royal cavalry. This incident was one of several involving Lang and the New Guard during that year.

A similar opening ceremony on the north side of the bridge, led by Northern Sydney Mayor Alderman Primrose, took place without incident. It was later discovered that Primrose was also a member of the New Guard, but her role and knowledge of the Groot incident, if any, is unclear. The pair of golden scissors used in the ribbon-cutting ceremonies on both sides of the bridge had also been used the previous year to cut the ribbon at the opening of the Bayonne Bridge, which connected Bayonne (New Jersey) "Bayonne (New Jersey)") and New York.[56][57]​.

Despite the bridge's opening during the Great Depression, the opening celebrations were promoted by the Sydney Citizens' Organizing Committee, an influential body of prominent men and politicians that was formed in 1931 under the chairmanship of the Mayor of Sydney. The celebrations included a series of decorated floats, a parade of passenger boats sailing under the bridge, and a Venetian-style carnival.[58] A message from a primary school in Tottenham&action=edit&redlink=1 "Tottenham, New South Wales (not yet redacted)"), a town located about 515 km (320 mi) from Sydney in rural New South Wales, arrived at the bridge that day and was read at the ceremony opening. It had been carried from Tottenham to the bridge by relays of schoolchildren, the final relay having been carried out by two students from the nearby Fort Street Girls' and Boys' Schools. Following the official events, the public was allowed to cross the bridge over the causeway, something that would not be repeated until the 50th anniversary celebrations. Estimates suggest that between 300,000 and one million people participated in the opening celebrations, an impressive figure considering that the total population of Sydney at the time was around 1,256,000.

En 2010, el tráfico medio diario incluía 204 trenes, 160.435 vehículos y 1.650 bicicletas.[64]​.

Road

From the Sydney CBD side, motor vehicle access to the bridge is via Grosvenor Street, Clarence Street, Kent Street, Cahill Expressway or the Western Distributor. Drivers on the north side merge onto the Warringah Freeway, although it's easy to exit the freeway to drive west towards North Sydney, or east to Neutral Bay and beyond on the north side.

Originally, as photographs taken shortly after the inauguration clearly show, the bridge only had four wider travel lanes, which occupied the central space, which now has six. In 1958 tram services crossing the bridge were removed and the tracks were replaced by two additional lanes that remain on the left side as you travel southbound, and are separated from the other six lanes by a median "Median (traffic)"). Lanes 7 and 8 now connect the bridge to the elevated Cahill Expressway, which directs traffic to the East Interchange.

In 1988 work began on the construction of a tunnel to complement the bridge, as the bridge could no longer support the increased traffic flow of the 1980s. The Sydney Harbor Tunnel was completed in August 1992 and carries motor vehicles only.

The Bradfield Highway is designated as a transhumant cattle route,[65] which means that herds of cattle are permitted to cross the bridge under their own power, but only between midnight and dawn, and after giving notice of their intention to do so. In practice, the last time cattle crossed the bridge was in 1999, on the occasion of the Gelbvieh Livestock Congress.[66]​.

Reversible rails

The bridge is equipped with reversible lanes, allowing the direction of traffic flow on the bridge to be modified to better accommodate morning and afternoon rush hour traffic patterns.[67]​.

The bridge has eight lanes, numbered one through eight from west to east. Lanes three, four and five are reversible. One and two always head north. Six, seven and eight always flow south. The default is four lanes in each direction. For the morning rush hour, lane changes on the bridge also require changes on the Warringah Freeway, with its reversible inner western carriageway directing traffic to the southbound number three and four lanes of the bridge. Until September 1982, during the afternoon rush hour, the flow was established at six northbound lanes and two southbound lanes.[68]​.

The bridge has a series of elevated gantries that indicate the direction of flow of each lane of traffic. A green arrow pointing toward a traffic lane means the lane is open. A flashing red "X" indicates that the lane is closing, but is not yet in use for traffic traveling in the other direction. A static red "X" means the lane is in use for oncoming traffic. This arrangement was introduced in January 1986, replacing a slow operation in which lane markers were moved manually to mark the center median.[69]​.

Exceptional lane direction configurations may be seen during nighttime periods when maintenance work is being carried out, which may involve the complete closure of some lanes. Normally this is done between midnight and dawn, due to the enormous level of traffic that the bridge supports outside of these hours.

When the Sydney Harbor Tunnel opened in August 1992, lane 7 was converted to a bus lane.[70][71]​.

Tolls

The vehicle lanes on the bridge are regulated by a toll system. Since January 2009, a variable toll system has been in place for all vehicles heading to the Sydney CBD (southbound). The toll paid depends on the time of day the vehicle passes the toll plaza, which in 2022 ranged from a minimum value of 2.50 Australian dollars to a maximum value of 4 Australian dollars.[72] There is no toll for northbound traffic (although taxis traveling north may charge passengers a toll for the return trip). In 2017, the Bradfield Highway northern toll plaza infrastructure was removed and replaced with new elevated gantries to serve all southbound traffic.[73] Following this upgrade, in 2018 all southbound toll plaza infrastructure was also removed.[74] Only the Cahill Expressway toll plaza infrastructure remains. The toll was originally introduced in both directions to recover the cost of constructing the bridge (which was achieved in 1988), but the toll was maintained (in fact increased) to recover the cost of constructing the Sydney Harbor tunnel.[75][76]​.

Originally, the crossing cost sixpence for a car or motorbike, and threepence for a horse and rider. The use of the bridge by cyclists (as long as they use the bike lane) and pedestrians is free. Later governments capped the motorcycle fare at a quarter of the charge for a passenger vehicle, but it is now back to the same as the cost of a passenger vehicle, although there are flat-rate quarterly passes that are much cheaper for frequent users.[77] There were originally six toll booths at the south end of the bridge, which were replaced by 16 booths in 1950.[78] The toll was collected in both directions until 4 July 1970, when it was modified to apply only to southbound traffic.[79][80]​.

After the decision was made to build the Sydney Harbor Tunnel in the early 1980s, the toll was increased (from 20 cents to $1, then to $1.50 in March 1989 and finally to $2 when the tunnel opened) to pay for its construction.[81] The tunnel also had an initial southbound toll of $2. After the increase to $1, the height of the concrete barrier located on the bridge to separate the Bradfield Highway from the Cahill Highway was increased due to the large number of drivers crossing improperly from lanes 6 to 7, to avoid the toll.

The southbound toll was increased to $2.20 in July 2000 to take into account the newly imposed Goods and Services Tax (GST).[82][83]​ The toll rate increased again in January 2002, reaching $3.[84]​.

In July 2008, a new electronic toll system called e-TAG was introduced. The Sydney Harbor Tunnel was adapted to this new toll system, while the bridge still had several lanes for cash payment. The electronic system as of January 12, 2009 has replaced all booths with E-tag lanes.[85] In January 2017 work began to remove the south side toll booths.[86] In August 2020, the remaining toll booths at Milsons Point were removed.[87][88] Tolls were increased in October 2023 for the first time. in 14 years.[89]​.

Pedestrians

The pedestrian-only sidewalk is located on the east side of the bridge. Access from the north side involves climbing an easily visible flight of stairs, located on the east side of the bridge at Broughton Street (Kirribilli). Pedestrian access on the south side is more complicated, but signs in The Rocks area now direct pedestrians to the long, protected flight of stairs leading to the south end of the bridge. These stairs are located near Gloucester Street and Cumberland Street.

The bridge can also be reached on foot from the south by accessing the Cahill Walk, which is part of the Cahill Expressway. Pedestrians can access this walkway from the eastern end of Circular Quay via a flight of stairs or a lift. Alternatively, it can be accessed from the Royal Botanical Garden.[90]​.

Cyclists

The bicycle-only cycle path is located on the western side of the bridge. Access from the north side involves carrying or pushing the bike up a staircase, consisting of 55 steps, located on the western side of the bridge on Burton Street, Milsons Point. A wide strip of smooth concrete in the center of the stairs allows bicycles to be raised and lowered from the bridge deck while the cyclist walks. A campaign to remove steps on this popular cycle route to Sydney's CBD has been underway since at least 2008. On 7 December 2016, NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay confirmed that the northern staircase would be replaced with a ramp that would prevent cyclists from having to navigate the stairs on foot. At the same time, the NSW government announced plans to upgrade the southern ramp. both projects are expected to be completed by the end of 2020.[93]​[94]​[95]​ Access to the bike path on the south side is via the north end of the Kent Street and/or Upper Fort St. bike path, which begins at The Rocks.[96]​.

Railway

The bridge is located between Milsons Point and Wynyard stations, located on the north and south shores respectively, with two tracks running along the western side of the bridge. These tracks are part of the North Coast Line.

In 1958 tram services crossing the bridge were cancelled, and the tracks they had used were removed in order to provide two additional lanes for road traffic, which are now the leftmost lanes when traveling south over the bridge and are still clearly distinguished from the other six lanes. The original ramp that took trams to the tube terminus at Wynyard Station is still visible at the south end of the main walkway under lanes 7 and 8, although around 1964, the former tunnels and tram station were converted for use as car parking for both the Menzies Hotel and the general public. One of the tunnels was converted for use as a storage facility after it was reportedly used as a pistol range by the New South Wales Police.[97]​.

Maintenance

The Sydney Harbor Bridge requires constant inspections and other maintenance work in order to keep it safe for the public who uses it and protect it from corrosion. Among the trades required in the maintenance tasks of the bridge are painters "Painter (profession)"), forgers, boilermakers, fitters, electricians, stuccoers, carpenters, plumbers and surveyors.[37]​.

The most notable maintenance work on the bridge involves painting. The steel structure of the bridge to be painted totals an area of ​​485,000 m² (119.8 acre), the equivalent of sixty football fields. Each layer of the bridge requires 30,000 L (6,599.1 impgal) of paint.[37]​ A special quick-drying paint is used, so that the paint drops dry before reaching the vehicles or the bridge surface.[18]​ Australian comedian and actor Paul Hogan worked as a bridge surveyor before rising to media fame in the 1970s.[6]​.

In 2003, the Highways and Traffic Authority began completely repainting the southern approach spans of the bridge. This involved removing the old layer of lead-based paint and repainting the 90,000 m² (22.2 acre) of steel beneath the deck. Workers operated from autonomous platforms positioned below the deck, and each platform had an air extraction system equipped with particulate filtration. A sandblasting system was used, which allowed waste containing lead to be collected to be safely removed and disposed of.[37]​.

Between December 2006 and March 2010, the bridge underwent works designed to ensure its longevity. The work included structural reinforcement work.[98]​.

Since 2013, two specially developed shot blasting robots have been used with the University of Technology Sydney to assist in the paint stripping operation on the bridge.[99]​ The robots, nicknamed Rosie and Sandy,[100]​ are intended to reduce the potential exposure of workers to dangerous lead paint and asbestos traces, as well as reduce the risks associated with abrasive material spraying equipment used to remove old paint, which is strong enough to to cut clothing and skin.[101]​.

• - Stan Giddings, maintenance worker painting the Sydney Harbor Bridge, 1945, by Alec Iverson.

• - Maintenance team painting the bridge.

• - Bridge arch after reinforcement, with some new steel parts indicated with red circles.

Southeast pylon

The bridge was such a prominent feature of Sydney that it attracted interest from tourists even during its construction. One of the most attractive points of the bridge for visitors is the viewpoint of the southeast pylon, which is accessed through the pedestrian sidewalk that runs along the bridge, and after climbing about 200 steps.[16]​.

Shortly after the bridge opened, beginning in 1934, Archer Whitford had the idea of ​​turning this pylon into a tourist destination.[102] He installed a number of attractions, including a cafe, a camera obscura, a museum about Aboriginal culture, a "Mother's Corner" where visitors could write letters, and a "passometer." The main attraction was the viewing platform, where "charming assistants" helped visitors use the available telescope,[102] and the copper cladding (still present) placed on the granite. Markings on the railings allowed Sydney suburbs and landmarks to be identified.[103]​.

The outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 caused the cessation of tourist activities on the bridge, when the military took charge of the four pylons and modified them to include protective parapets and a series of anti-aircraft guns.[104]​.

In 1948, Yvonne Rentoul opened the "All Australian Exhibition" at the pylon, which included dioramas and showed Australian perspectives on topics such as agriculture, sport, transport, mining and the military. An orientation table was set up at the viewing point, along with a wall guide and binoculars. The manager had several white cats on a rooftop, which also served as an attraction, and there was a souvenir shop and a post office. Rentoul's lease[105]​ expired in 1971 and the pylon and its viewing platform remained closed to the public for more than a decade.[106]​.

In 1982 the pylon was reopened, with a new exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the bridge.[107] In 1987 a "Bicentenary Exhibition" was opened to commemorate the 1988 bicentenary of European settlement in Australia.[108]

The pylon was closed from April to November 2000 so that the Highways and Traffic Authority and the BridgeClimb organizers could create a new exhibition called "Proud Arch". The exhibition focused on Bradfield and included a glass radio direction finder on the observation level and several important heritage items.[109]​.

It was closed again for four weeks in 2003 for the installation of an exhibition called "Dangerous Works", highlighting the precarious conditions experienced by the original construction workers on the bridge, and the installation of two stained glass windows in memory of the workers.[110]

Climbing the arch of the bridge

In the 1950s and 1960s, news stories occasionally appeared in newspapers about climbers who had illegally traversed the bridge arch during the night. In 1973, Philippe Petit crossed between the two pylons at the south end of the bridge on a cable stretched between them. Since 1998, the BridgeClimb")[111]​ has made it possible for tourists to legally climb the southern half of the bridge. Tours run all day, from dawn to night, and are only canceled in the event of thunderstorms or high winds.[112]​.

Groups of climbers are provided with protective clothing appropriate to the prevailing weather conditions and given an orientation briefing before climbing. During the climb, attendees are secured to the bridge by a wire lifeline. The route begins on the east side of the bridge and ascends to the keystone of the arch. At the top, the group crosses to the western side of the arch to begin the descent in the opposite direction. Each ascent lasts three and a half hours, including preparations.[112]​.

In December 2006, the organization BridgeClimb[111]​ launched an alternative to climbing the bridge arch from the top. The Discovery Climb allows climbers to traverse the lower ridge of the bridge arch and see its internal structure. From the apex of the lower range, climbers climb a ladder to a platform located at the top.[111]​.

Desde su apertura, el puente ha sido el punto focal de los numerosos turistas que visitan Sídney, de muestras de orgullo nacional e incluso de masivas protestas.[113]​.

50th anniversary celebrations

In 1982 the 50th anniversary of the bridge's inauguration was celebrated. For the first time since its opening in 1932, it was closed to most vehicles, with the exception of vintage vehicles, and pedestrians were allowed full access during the day.[13] The celebrations were attended by Edward Judge, who represented the British company that designed and built the bridge, Dorman Long.[114][115]

Australia Bicentennial Day Celebrations

Australia's Bicentennial was celebrated on January 26, 1988, and attracted large crowds to the vicinity of the bridge, while many curious onlookers flocked to the beaches to witness the events from there. The highlight was the largest sailing ship parade ever held in Sydney, with square-rigged vessels from around the world, surrounded by hundreds of smaller vessels, passing majestically under the Sydney Harbor Bridge. The day's festivities culminated in a fireworks display, with the bridge being the focal point of the finale, with fireworks erupting from the arch and onto the roadway. This spectacle would become the pattern for later fireworks.

New Year's Eve in Sydney

The Bay Bridge has been an integral part of Sydney's New Year's Eve celebrations and is usually put to spectacular use during the fireworks displays at 9pm. m. and midnight. In recent times, the bridge has included a light display arranged on a rack suspended in the center of the eastern arch, which is used to complement the fireworks. The scaffolding and structure were clearly visible a few weeks before the event, revealing the outline of the design.

During the millennium celebrations in 2000, the Sydney Harbor Bridge was illuminated with the word "Eternity (graffiti)", as a tribute to the legacy of Arthur Stace), a Sydney artist who for many years etched the word into sidewalks with chalk and intricate ribbon-filled calligraphy, even though he was illiterate.[116]

The motifs mounted from the bridge have been the following:[117]​.

• - New Year's 1997: a Smiley.

• - New Year's 1999: the word "Eternity "Eternity (grafiti)")" with elaborate calligraphy full of bows[118]​.

• - New Year 2000: Rainbow Serpent and the Australian Federation Star.

• - New Year 2001: Mount Uluru, the Crux constellation and the dove of peace.

• - New Year 2002: dove of peace and the word "PEACE".

• - New Year's 2003: light show.

• - New Year's 2004: "fanfare".

• - New Year 2005: three concentric hearts "Heart (symbol)").

• - New Year 2006: a coat hanger and a diamond.

• - New Year 2007: mandala.

• - New Year 2008: a sun.

• - New Year 2009: Taijitu symbol, a blue moon and a ring of fire.

• - New Year 2010: handprint, "X" mark and a stain.

• - New Year 2011: cartoon speech bubble "Balloon (comic)"), sun and rainbow.

• - New Year 2012: butterfly and a lip.

• - New Year 2013: be careful.

• - New Year 2014: light bulb.

• - New Year's Eve from 2015 onwards: light shows.

The New Year's Eve countdown numbers also appear on the east side of the bridge's pylons.[119]​.

March for reconciliation

In May 2000, the bridge was closed to vehicle access for a day to allow a special "Walk for Reconciliation" march to take place. The march was organized as an act of redress following an investigation into the Stolen Generations (Australia) of Aboriginal children, forcibly placed in the care of white parents in a little-publicized state government scheme. It is estimated that between 200,000 and 300,000 people walked across the bridge in a symbolic gesture to end the division between whites and Aboriginal people.[120]​.

Sydney 2000 Olympic Games

During the Sydney Olympic Games, held in the Australian city between September and October 2000, the bridge was decorated with the Olympic rings, and was part of the Olympic torch route to the stadium. The men's and women's marathons also included crossing the bridge as part of their route to the Olympic stadium, where a fireworks display was also held at the end of the closing ceremony. Since then, the east side of the bridge has been used several times as a setting for launching fireworks, especially during elaborate New Year's Eve displays.[121]

Formula 1 promotion

In 2005, driver Mark Webber drove a Williams-BMW Formula 1 car across the bridge.[122]

75th anniversary

In 2007, the 75th anniversary of its opening was commemorated with an exhibition at the Museum of Sydney, called "Bridging Sydney".[123]​ An initiative of the Historic Buildings Trust, the exhibition featured previously unpublished documents, including photographs and paintings with alternative proposals, plans and sketches for rare and never-before-seen bridges and tunnels.[124]​.

March 18, 2007 marked the 75th anniversary of the Sydney Harbor Bridge. The occasion was marked with an opening ceremony by Governor Marie Bashir and Prime Minister Morris Iemma. The bridge was subsequently closed to traffic and opened to pedestrians wishing to walk south from Milsons Point or North Sydney. Several major roads, mainly in the CBD, were closed for the day. An Aboriginal smoke inhalation ceremony was held at 7pm. m.[125]​[126]​.

Approximately 250,000 people participated in the event (50,000 more than registered). Bright green souvenir caps were distributed to walkers. A series of speakers placed at intervals on the bridge formed a display of sound documents. Each set of speakers broadcast sound and music from a particular era (e.g. King Edward VIII's abdication speech; or Gough Whitlam's speech in Parliament during the constitutional crisis of 1975), the overall effect being that the soundscape would "flow" through history as walkers made their way across the bridge. A light show began after sunset and continued well into the night, bathing the bridge in ever-changing multicolor lighting designed to highlight the bridge's structural features. At night, the bright yellow caps were replaced with orange caps with a small, bright LED light. The bridge was closed to pedestrians around 8:30 p.m. m.

Breakfast on the bridge

On 25 October 2009, grass was laid over the eight paved lanes, and 6,000 people held a picnic on the bridge accompanied by live music.[127] The event was repeated in 2010.[128] Although originally scheduled again for 2011, the event was moved to Bondi Beach due to concerns about the effect on vehicle traffic that the prolonged closure of the bridge could cause. bridge.[129]​[130]​.

80th anniversary

On March 19, 2012, the 80th anniversary of the Sydney Harbor Bridge was celebrated with a picnic dedicated to the stories of people with personal connections to the bridge.[131]​ In addition, Google dedicated its doodle on the 19th to the event.[132]​

During the celebration, New South Wales Highways Minister Duncan Gay released a proposal to improve the bridge's toll systems.[133]

protests

Several protests have caused riots on the Sydney Harbor Bridge. In 2019, Greenpeace activists scaled the bridge and were arrested shortly afterwards.[134] In 2021, several truck and bus drivers blocked the bridge for several hours; They were protesting the COVID-19 lockdown.[135]​.

Environmental activist Violet Coco") blocked a lane of traffic in 2022 as part of a climate change protest.[136]​.

Historically, the Australian and New South Wales flags had flown over the bridge, with the Aboriginal flag flying for nineteen days a year. effect.[138][139] In July 2022, it was announced that the Aboriginal flag would replace the New South Wales flag, which was given a prominent location within the redevelopment of Macquarie Street East, near the Royal Mint and Hyde Park Barracks "Hyde Park Barracks (Sydney)."[140]​.

At the time of its construction and until recently, the bridge was the longest single-span steel arch in the world. Its pylons and its entrances are important elements of the urban landscape of nearby areas and also of some remote areas. The curved approach to the north offers a grand entry into the bay with continually changing views of the bridge and harbor. The bridge has been an important factor in the growth pattern of the Sydney metropolitan area, particularly in the residential development of the post-World War II years. By the 1960s and 1970s, the central business district had extended to the north side of the bridge, in North Sydney, which was due in part to the easy access provided by the bridge and also to the increasing traffic problems associated with it.[145][146]​.

The Sydney Harbor Bridge was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 25 June 1999, having met the following criteria:[146]​.

Place is important in demonstrating the course or pattern of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales..

The bridge is one of the most notable feats of structural construction. At the time of its construction and until recently, it was the longest single-span steel arch bridge in the world and remains the largest overall.[145][146]​.

"The archaeological remains demonstrate an earlier phase of urban development within Milsons Point and the wider northern Sydney precinct. The walls are physical evidence that several 19th-century residences existed at the site, which were resumed and demolished as part of the construction of the Sydney Harbor Bridge."[146]​[147][148]​.

Place is important to demonstrate aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales..

The bridge, its pylons and its accesses are important elements of the urban landscape of areas near and far from it. The curved approach to the north offers a grand entrance to the bridge with continually changing views of the bridge and the bay.[145]​[146]​.

The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons..

The bridge has been an important factor in the growth pattern of the Sydney metropolitan area, particularly residential development in the years following the Second World War. By the 1960s and 1970s, the central business district had extended to the north side of the bridge in North Sydney, which was partly due to the easy access provided by the bridge and also due to the increasing traffic problems associated with the bridge.[145][146]​.

The site has the potential to provide information that contributes to the understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales..

"The archaeological remains have some potential to provide information on the previous residential and commercial occupation of Milsons Point prior to the construction of the Sydney Harbor Bridge transport link."[146]​[147][148]​.

The bridge was listed as a National Engineering Monument by Engineers Australia") in 1988, as part of its Engineering Heritage Recognition Program.[149]​.

• - Annex: Longest arch bridges in the world.

Literature

• - Four articles on the design and construction of the bridge in volume 238 of the Minutes of the Institution of Civil Engineers, 1935 Kinley.

• - Knezevic, Daniel, (1947), "The Lost Bridge."

Attribution

• - This Wikipedia article contains material from the Sydney Harbor Bridge, approaches and viaducts (road and rail) entry number 781 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by the State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence, accessed 13 October 2018.

Texts:.

• - Portal:Engineering. Content related to Engineering.

• - Wikimedia Commons hosts a multimedia category on Sydney Harbor Bridge.

• - Wikimedia Commons hosts a multimedia category on Sydney Harbor Bridge "commons:Category:Sydney Harbor Bridge (construction)").

• - Wikiquote hosts famous quotes from or about Sydney Harbor Bridge.

• - Sydney Town Hall.

• - [CC-By-SA]. Features 'Sydney Harbor Bridge' by Jim Poe, 2014 and 'Building the Sydney Harbor Bridge' by Laila Ellmoos and Lisa Murray, 2015, with images.

• - BridgeClimb.

• - The Sydney Harbor Bridge turns 75 – Daily Telégrafo report.

• - Men at work: Sydney Harbor Bridge – Australian Geographic Archived September 28, 2011 at the Wayback Machine.

• - 75th Anniversary Celebrations Archived August 31, 2010 at the Wayback Machine.

• - NSW Bike Plan - Bike information for New South Wales.

• - Sydney Harbor Bridge Archived February 26, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. – News and events.

• - Description of the SHB project in the 1924 newspaper, including statistics and dimensions.

• - Story of an illegal climb to a bridge in 1961.

• - . Illustrated account of the construction and completion of the bridge.

• - Railway loading width.

• - Railroad Loading Gauge Discussion Archived February 15, 2017 at the Wayback Machine.

Webcams:.

• - Road Traffic Authority webcams Archived April 8, 2011 at the Wayback Machine.

Images:.

• - Interactive images of proposals.

• - Bridge during construction.

• - "The arch bridge in Australia will have a record span", Popular Mechanics, May 1929.

• - Aerial views of the opening celebrations, March 19, 1932 / photographed by W. E. Searle.

• - Sydney Harbor Bridge during the Olympic Games, September 19-26, 2000 / Loui Seselja.

• - Picnic on the Sydney Harbor Bridge / Sigmate Studio.

• - Breakfast on the bridge / Daniel Boud.

• - Buildings and roads around North Sydney and the Sydney Harbor Bridge, 1958-1961 / Wolfgang Sievers.