[COM] South Road Superway | $842m | 3km

[Nort]

The aim is to shift traffic more efficiently as part of the greater South Road problem, but I’m still scratching my head about this – we could’ve had 23km of light rail to Port Adelaide for the same price. There are supposed economic benefits, no doubt, but I question the need for so much more concrete, so much more steel reinforcement and so much more bitumen – and little else – over a more traditional road solution.

Some might say the solution picks the low-hanging fruit, by ignoring more important and problematic parts of South Road – the intersections with Port Road, Richmond Road or Sir Donald Bradman Drive, for example.

This all ignores that the superway is not intended to reduce commuter congestion (although it should as a nice side effect) and that the federal funds offered for the project could not be used for light rail.

[crawf]

A few quick snaps from Sunday

[muzzamo]

cheers for the photos

[drsmith]

Those last two photos are amazing.

That deck section is obviously counter balanced north/south, but how much stress would the uneven load be putting on the supporting bridge pier ?

It would be a bit of a bugger if it all came crashing down on the intersection of Grand Junction Road.

[AG]

Those last two photos are amazing.

That deck section is obviously counter balanced north/south, but how much stress would the uneven load be putting on the supporting bridge pier ?

It would be a bit of a bugger if it all came crashing down on the intersection of Grand Junction Road.

The huge unsupported overhang would be creating a large rotating force (bending moment we call it in structural engineering) that would require strong resistance from the (I hope) deep foundation to stop it from overturning. It's amazing what reinforcing steel can do when combined with concrete.

[crawf]

This thing is so ridiculously tall, it's going to be quite a site driving so high above the ground level. Possibly some great city views.

[ChillyPhilly]

This thing is so ridiculously tall, it's going to be quite a site driving so high above the ground level. Possibly some great city views.

A step towards our own West Gate Bridge?

[rev]

Here's a view from the BP next to it..kind of gives you an idea along with Crawfs pics how huge this thing is.
crappy iphone quality

[Omicron]

Goodness me. This would be when the engineers earn their $Texas, then.

[phenom]

I'll need to drive out there and see for myself but let's face it - if it wasn't tall we'd invariably end up with an AdelaideNow story with a picture of a tall truck or someone towing a sailboat wedged up against the lower part of the bridge two weeks after it opens. Maybe I'm just a fan of industrialism but the 'inhuman' proportions of this raised highway are entirely what we're not used to... and I love it

[drsmith]

With Gateway WA (a $1bn+ road upgrade package around Perth Ariport), bridge clearances are peoposed to be 6.5m. This is greater than the existing Roe Highway bridge over Tonkin Highway. This bridge was built in the early 90's and is slated for duplication when this interchange is built to its ultimate configuration.

Trucks and trains must be getting higher as well as longer. Other bridges on Tonkin Highway are also deficient in relation to height clearances as per page 52 of the Gateway WA project master plan.

Some light reading for anyone interested.

http://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/Building ... wayWA.aspx

[Maximus]

Those last two photos are amazing.

That deck section is obviously counter balanced north/south, but how much stress would the uneven load be putting on the supporting bridge pier ?

It would be a bit of a bugger if it all came crashing down on the intersection of Grand Junction Road.

The huge unsupported overhang would be creating a large rotating force (bending moment we call it in structural engineering) that would require strong resistance from the (I hope) deep foundation to stop it from overturning. It's amazing what reinforcing steel can do when combined with concrete.

Let's just hope there are no engineers from Canberra working on it. A half-finished bridge just like this actually did collapse a couple of years ago...

http://the-riotact.com/gde-collapses-on ... hway/26041

[AG]

Those last two photos are amazing.

That deck section is obviously counter balanced north/south, but how much stress would the uneven load be putting on the supporting bridge pier ?

It would be a bit of a bugger if it all came crashing down on the intersection of Grand Junction Road.

The huge unsupported overhang would be creating a large rotating force (bending moment we call it in structural engineering) that would require strong resistance from the (I hope) deep foundation to stop it from overturning. It's amazing what reinforcing steel can do when combined with concrete.

Let's just hope there are no engineers from Canberra working on it. A half-finished bridge just like this actually did collapse a couple of years ago...

http://the-riotact.com/gde-collapses-on ... hway/26041

The company I previously worked for were actually the structural engineers for the Superway project. I very much trust their technical abilities considering they've done work on similar structures interstate.

[muzzamo]

Plenty of construction photos at the dtpi Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 201&type=3

[Xaragmata]

Pics from yesterday, near Cardigan St & Days Rd