Balun Bindarray Bridge

Balun Bindarray Bridge
Coordinates29°41′52″S 152°56′34″E / 29.69778°S 152.94278°E / -29.69778; 152.94278
CarriesShirley Adams Way (Summerland Way)
CrossesClarence River
LocaleGrafton, New South Wales, Australia
Maintained byTransport for NSW
Characteristics
DesignGirder bridge
MaterialSteel
Trough constructionConcrete
Total length525 metres (1,722 ft)
History
Constructed byFulton Hogan
Construction startNovember 2016 (2016-11)
Construction end2019 (2019)
Construction costA$240 million
Inaugurated12 December 2019 (2019-12-12) by
Chris Gulaptis, Member for Clarence
ReplacesGrafton Bridge (since 2019)
(Concurrent use as a road bridge)
Location
Map
References
[1][2]

The Balun Bindarray Bridge, formerly the New Grafton Bridge, is a bridge located 70 metres (230 ft) east of the Grafton Bridge and opened to traffic on 12 December 2019. The bridge carries two lanes of Shirley Adams Way (Summerland Way) and has been designed to be increased to four lanes when traffic levels require it.[3][4] It also carries a grade-separated footpath and cycleway.[5][1]

History

In 2002, the NSW Government commissioned a study into a crossing over Clarence River, additional to the Grafton Bridge, released in early 2003.[6]

In October 2008, federal, state and local government representatives inspected the existing bridge. It was claimed that this bridge was not coping with the increasing volume of traffic. Estimates of replacing the bridge were in the range of A$100 million.[7] In December 2012, the Roads & Maritime Services (RMS) announced that a preferred option of an additional crossing of the Clarence River had been identified and went on public display for comment. RMS also announced that a final decision was expected during 2013.[8] Construction commenced on the new crossing, then named New Grafton Bridge, in November 2016 and the bridge was opened on 12 December 2019 by Chris Gulaptis, the Member for Clarence.[5][9]

Summerland Way was also rerouted from the old bridge onto the new bridge.[3][4]

The bridge was renamed on 27 November 2022[10] after review by the Clarence Valley Council and Transport for NSW to enquire to the public to help name the bridge.[11] The name refers to balun – meaning river in Bundjalung, and bindarray – meaning river in Gumbaynggirr. The two languages are spoken by Aboriginal peoples in the Clarence Valley region of New South Wales, Australia. The access roads and walkways on either side of the bridge were named the Shirley Way in honor of Shirley Adams, the first female mayor of Grafton City Council.[12] The road was renamed again to Shirley Adams Way in July 2024 to incorporate the late mayor's family name.[13]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Roads & Maritime Services (February 2020). "New Grafton bridge: Project update" (PDF). Transport for NSW. Government of New South Wales. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  2. ^ "Site Visit to Grafton Bridge Construction". Engineers Australia. n.d. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  3. ^ a b "New Grafton Bridge – Proposed directional signage plan – Stage 2 – Bridge opening (Target Opening Date – December 2019)" (PDF). Transport for NSW – Roads and Maritime. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  4. ^ a b "New Grafton Bridge – Proposed directional signage plan – Stage 3 – Project completion (Target Date – June 2020)" (PDF). Transport for NSW – Roads and Maritime. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  5. ^ a b "New Grafton bridge crossing opens to traffic". NSW Nationals. 12 December 2019. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  6. ^ "New Grafton bridge – additional crossing of the Clarence River", Transport for NSW, Roads and Maritime
  7. ^ "Funding doubts over second Grafton bridge". Australia: ABC News. 31 October 2008. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  8. ^ "Additional crossing of the Clarence River at Grafton: Recommended preferred option display" (PDF). Community update. Roads & Maritime Services. December 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 June 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  9. ^ "New Grafton bridge – additional crossing of the Clarence River". Roads and Maritime Services. Archived from the original on 12 June 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  10. ^ "New Grafton Bridge name revealed – Clarence Valley Independent". Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  11. ^ "New Grafton bridge – Project update – August 2020" (PDF).
  12. ^ "Balun Bindarray Bridge and Shirley Way". www.clarence.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  13. ^ "Grafton icon honoured with renamed road" (PDF). Transport for NSW. 30 July 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.