Sydney Harbour Bridge | Dimensions, Location, History, & Facts

Sydney Harbour Bridge, steel-arch bridge across Sydney Harbour (Port Jackson), Australia. The bridge, opened in 1932, serves as the primary transportation ... SydneyHarbourBridge TableofContents Introduction FastFacts RelatedContent Media Images More MoreArticlesOnThisTopic Contributors ArticleHistory Home Technology Engineering CivilEngineering SydneyHarbourBridge bridge,Sydney,NewSouthWales,Australia Print Cite verifiedCite Whileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies. Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions. SelectCitationStyle MLA APA ChicagoManualofStyle CopyCitation Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sydney-Harbour-Bridge More GiveFeedback ExternalWebsites Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). FeedbackType Selectatype(Required) FactualCorrection Spelling/GrammarCorrection LinkCorrection AdditionalInformation Other YourFeedback SubmitFeedback Thankyouforyourfeedback Oureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle. JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork! ExternalWebsites AustralianGovernment-AustralianStories-SydneyHarbourBridge NationalMuseumofAustralia-SydneyHarbourBridge NewSouthWalesGovernment-SydneyHarbourBridge BritannicaWebsites ArticlesfromBritannicaEncyclopediasforelementaryandhighschoolstudents. SydneyHarbourBridge-Children'sEncyclopedia(Ages8-11) SydneyHarbourBridge-StudentEncyclopedia(Ages11andup) By TheEditorsofEncyclopaediaBritannica • EditHistory SydneyHarbourBridge,steel-archbridgeacrossSydneyHarbour(PortJackson),Australia.Thebridge,openedin1932,servesastheprimarytransportationlinkbetweenSydneyanditssuburbsonthenorthernsideoftheharbour.Itspansabout500metres(1,650feet),makingitoneofthelongeststeel-archbridgesintheworld.Alongitslength,itfeaturesfourrailroadtracks,ahighway,andtwopedestrianwalkways.SydneyHarbourBridgeTheSydneyHarbourBridge,asteel-archbridgeacrossSyndeyHarbour,Australia.©TarasVyshnya/Shutterstock.comIn1912JohnBradfield,acivilengineerwiththeNewSouthWalesDepartmentofPublicWorks,presentedplanstoAustralia’sparliamentfortheconstructionofabridgeoverSydneyHarbour,withoptionsforeitherasuspensionbridgeoracantileverbridgedesign.HeenvisionedthestructureaspartofanelectricrailwaysystemforSydneyanditssuburbs.TheyearafterBradfieldsubmittedhisplans,hiscantileverdesignwasaccepted,andhewasappointedtoleadtheproject.WorkonthebridgewasdelayedbyWorldWarI,however,anditwasnotuntil1922,withthepassageoftheSydneyHarbourBridgeAct,thatfundingfortheprojectbecameavailable.Bythattimetoo,progressinsteelmakinghadmadepossibletheconstructionofanarchbridge.ThebuildingcontractwasawardedtotheEnglishenterpriseDormanLong&Co.,whichhiredSirRalphFreemantoperformdetaileddesignwork.Thefinal,approvedplancalledforasteel-archbridgelinkingDawesPointonthesouthwithMilsonsPointonthenorth.Anarchbridgewaschosenbecauseitwaslessexpensivethanacantileverdesignandcapableofhandlingheavierloads.Constructionbeganin1924underBradfield’ssupervision.ThedeepwatersofSydneyHarbourmadetemporarysupportsimpractical,sothesteelarchwasassembledbybuildingoutfromeachbank.Thetwosidesmetinthemiddlein1930,andthebridgewasofficiallyopenedwithanelaborateceremonyonMarch19,1932.SydneyHarbourBridgeSydneyHarbourBridgeinPortJackson,NewSouthWales,Australia.Spanning503metres(1,650feet),thestructureisoneofthelongeststeel-archbridgesintheworld.©PhillipMinnis/Shutterstock.comSydneyOperaHouse;HarbourBridgeTheSydneyOperaHouseandHarbourBridge,PortJackson(SydneyHarbour).DavidJohnsonDespiteBradfield’ssubmissionofproposalsforthebridgedesign,Freemanconsideredhimselftobethebridge’struedesigner.Theclaimwassupportedbysomeauthorities,thoughthecontroversywasneverfullyresolved.TheEditorsofEncyclopaediaBritannicaThisarticlewasmostrecentlyrevisedandupdatedbyMelissaPetruzzello.