Princes Bridge (Melbourne)
| Princes Bridge | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Coordinates | 37°49′09″S 144°58′06″E / 37.8192°S 144.9682°ECoordinates: 37°49′09″S 144°58′06″E / 37.8192°S 144.9682°E |
| Carries | Trams, road vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists |
| Crosses | Yarra River |
| Locale | Melbourne, Australia |
| Official name | Princes Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Arch bridge |
| Total length | 120 metres (400 ft) |
| Width | 30 metres (99 ft) |
| History | |
| Designer | John Grainger |
| Construction begin | 1886 |
| Opened | October 4, 1888 |
Princes Bridge, originally Prince's Bridge, is an important bridge in central Melbourne, Australia that spans the Yarra River. It is built on the site of one of the oldest river crossings in Australia. The bridge connects Swanston Street on the north bank of the Yarra River to St Kilda Road on the south bank, and carries road, tram and pedestrian traffic. The present bridge was built in 1888 and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.
Because of its position, Princes Bridge is often a focal point for celebratory events in Melbourne such as the Moomba Festival, New Years Eve and many celebrations taking place on the Yarra River where it flows through the city.
When the first European settlers settled in Melbourne in 1835 there was no permanent crossing point of the Yarra River. Over time various punt and ferry operators set up business to ferry people and other traffic across the river. The colonial government in Sydney was unreliable in providing funds for the construction of a bridge, resulting in most of Melbourne’s early infrastructure being provided by private enterprise. On 22 April 1840, a private company was formed to construct a bridge across the Yarra. Traders in Elizabeth Street vied with those in Swanston Street to have the through traffic that would be generated by a bridge. On the south bank of the river, St Kilda Road was still a dirt track.
Lieutenant-Governor Charles La Trobe favoured an Elizabeth Street crossing, but despite such official pressure the private company favoured the construction conditions at Swanston Street, which had become regarded as the growing town's main street. It was on that street in 1840 that they opened their wooden toll bridge. In 1844, a wooden trestle bridge was built across the river, and was a toll bridge.
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