Merivale Bridge
| Merivale Bridge | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Coordinates | 27°28′10″S 153°00′47″E / 27.469383°S 153.013056°ECoordinates: 27°28′10″S 153°00′47″E / 27.469383°S 153.013056°E |
| Carries | 2 rail tracks |
| Crosses | Brisbane River |
| Locale | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Through arch |
| Total length | 877m |
| Longest span | 132m |
| History | |
| Designer | Cameron McNamara Pty Ltd |
| Construction cost | $21 million |
| Opened | 18 November 1978 |
The Merivale Bridge is a double track railway bridge crossing the Brisbane River. It crosses the Milton Reach of the river, slightly to the west of the William Jolly Bridge. Exclusively a railway crossing, it is located between the stations of South Brisbane and Roma Street, linking the northern and southern elements of the Queensland Rail City network. The Merivale Bridge is the only inner-city rail crossing in Brisbane. By 2016 it is expected to be over capacity, leading the Queensland Government to announce the Cross River Rail project.
The Merivale Bridge opened on 18 November 1978 by Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen. At the opening, the then Premier, described the occasion as "the start of the second stage in the history of Queensland Railways".
It formed a more direct route into the city for Brisbane's southern system suburban trains than the existing route via Corinda. It also carries the standard gauge line from New South Wales. It was designed by Cameron McNamara Pty Ltd (consulting engineers) and was fabricated and erected by Transfield.
The bridge has been recognised with a number of awards. In 1980 it was named the most outstanding engineering project from the Association of Consulting Engineers of Australia. Judges appreciated the combination of aesthetics and functionality. It also won the 1979 Steel Award.
It had taken almost a century to get Brisbane's north and south rail networks joined by a bridge over the Brisbane River. As far back as 1885, the then Engineer-in-Chief for the Southern Division Railways arranged for the trial rail survey being done in South Brisbane to be extended across the river to the main western line near Countess Street.
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