A new purpose-built pre-cast concrete production facility that will produce more than 1,000 segments needed to build the new Bridgewater Bridge has opened in Bridgewater, north of Hobart.
The $786 million new Bridgewater Bridge is the biggest transport infrastructure project in Tasmania’s history and major construction is underway.
Over the next 18 months, the facility will produce the 1,082 concrete bridge segments that will form the deck of the 1.2-kilometre-long new Bridgewater Bridge.
Each weighing between 50 and 90 tonnes and measuring 15 metres wide, the segments will be cast from five moulds and will be stored on site before being transported two kilometres down the road to the construction site, where they will be lifted into place on the new structure.
At peak production, the facility will produce up to five bridge segments each day, employing about 90 people, and will remain in place following the completion of the project for use on future projects in the State.
Construction of the project’s temporary bridge is due to be completed next month, with work underway to build the bridge abutments on the northern and southern shores, and the first of 42 concrete bridge piers to be poured in coming weeks.
The $786 million project is funded by the Australian and Tasmanian governments, with the Australian Government committing $628.8 million and the Tasmanian Government $157.2 million.
Traffic is expected to be driving on the new bridge by the end of 2024, with the overall project complete early in 2025.
For more information about the project and to view an animation showing how the concrete segments are lifted onto the new bridge, visit
https://bridgewaterbridge.tas.gov.au/home.
Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:
“The Australian Government is pleased to be funding, with the Tasmanian Government, this much-needed bridge replacement, improving safety, streamlining passenger and freight travel, as well as providing employment opportunities for the construction of this and future bridges.
“Upskilling and employing locals on a project of this size and scale will provide improved job and career opportunities for Tasmanians.”
Quotes attributable to Tasmanian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Michael Ferguson:
“Creating jobs, upskilling workers and supporting Tasmanian industry is a key focus of the new Bridgewater Bridge project.
“Around a quarter of the workforce will be new to the industry, with many coming through the project’s pre-employment program that was rolled out earlier this year.”
Quotes attributable to Assistant Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Carol Brown:
“This facility not only provides local employment opportunities for the building of the Bridgewater Bridge but will continue to provide opportunities for future projects in Tasmania.
"This is great news for the communities of Bridgewater and areas north of Hobart who depend on reliable and safe travel and freight transport links over this crossing.
Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Lyons Brian Mitchell:
“As well as upskilling Tasmanian workers, the project will support more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs and will importantly create more than 250 new jobs for Tasmanians, with a quarter of those for people in the Brighton, Derwent Valley and Glenorchy municipalities.
“Setting up a facility such as this locally will provide jobs and training opportunities for this bridge and other infrastructure projects in the future.”
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