Merivale Bridge

Merivale Bridge
Merivale Bridge
Coordinates	27°28′09″S 153°00′47″E / 27.4693°S 153.0130°E
Carries	Beenleigh, Cleveland and Gold Coast lines
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
Location

The Merivale Bridge is a double track railway bridge crossing the Brisbane River. It crosses the Milton Reach of the river, located in between the Go Between Bridge and 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 was expected to be over capacity, leading the Queensland Government to announce the Cross River Rail project.^[3]

The Merivale Bridge opened on 18 November 1978 by Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen.^[4]^[5] At the opening with 850 guests, the Premier, described the occasion as "the start of the second stage in the history of Queensland Railways".^[6]^[5]

It formed a more direct route into the city for Brisbane's southern system suburban trains than the existing route via Corinda. Since 1986 it also has carried 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.^[4] Judges appreciated the combination of aesthetics and functionality. It also won the 1979 Steel Award.^[4]

^ ^a ^b J. Snelling (13 May 1983), "The Merivale Rail Bridge, Brisbane, Australia", Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, retrieved 9 August 2014
^ Engineering Heritage Inner Brisbane (PDF), Engineers Australia (Queensland Division), 2011, archived from the original (PDF) on 9 August 2014, retrieved 9 August 2014
^ "Third cross river rail plan for Brisbane unveiled". Abc.net.au. 7 April 2016. Archived from the original on 24 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c Hogan, Janet (1982). Living History of Brisbane. Spring Hill, Queensland: Boolarang Publications. p. 125. ISBN 0-908175-41-8.
^ ^a ^b Sinnamon, Miles (29 October 2018). "Opening of Brisbane's Merivale Bridge, 1978". State Library Of Queensland. Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
^ Network Published by the Railways of Australia Committee February, 1979 pp7-11

[CJCE-1] J. Snelling (13 May 1983), "The Merivale Rail Bridge, Brisbane, Australia", Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, retrieved 9 August 2014

[2] Engineering Heritage Inner Brisbane (PDF), Engineers Australia (Queensland Division), 2011, archived from the original (PDF) on 9 August 2014, retrieved 9 August 2014

[3] "Third cross river rail plan for Brisbane unveiled". Abc.net.au. 7 April 2016. Archived from the original on 24 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.

[lhbris-4] Hogan, Janet (1982). Living History of Brisbane. Spring Hill, Queensland: Boolarang Publications. p. 125. ISBN 0-908175-41-8.

[:0-5] Sinnamon, Miles (29 October 2018). "Opening of Brisbane's Merivale Bridge, 1978". State Library Of Queensland. Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2022.

[network-6] Network Published by the Railways of Australia Committee February, 1979 pp7-11

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]