introduction
Building a better bridge over Iron Cove
Welcome to the better bridge website. This is where you can find information about:
the NSW government’s proposed duplicate bridge over Iron Cove (which has the potential to destroy forever many of the amenities we know and love in Iron Cove)
and
the Morrisey better bridge (which offers a bridge that does all the RTA wants and more, and does it better, faster, cheaper without the environmental damage that the RTA’s design enjoys).
>Why we are opposed to the RTA’s bridge
>What’s the solution?
The Morrisey better bridge design: a faster, cheaper solution
- Faster – 1 year to build not 2
-Cheaper – more than 30% cheaper
Why we are opposed to the RTA’s bridge
On 17 April, NSW Minister for Transport, David Campbell, announced that the new Inner West Busway project, which includes a new three-lane concrete bridge across Iron Cove, would proceed.
Despite vigorous protests and political lobbying by local community groups, local Councils (Leichhardt and Canada Bay), and the NSW Rowing Association on behalf of the Bay Clubs Forum.
The Bay Clubs Forum is an affiliation of the passive water users on Iron Cove – the rowing clubs: Leichhardt, UTS, Drummoyne and Balmain and the sailing club: Dobroyd Aquatic Club.
The opposition to the proposed bridge design is based on a number of concerns including environmental, conservation and heritage concerns, loss of parkland and loss of navigable regatta sailing and rowing courses.
Objections to the RTA design
Objections to the new proposal include loss and damage:
70 new piles damaging the environment
>potential environmental impact of stirring up heavy-metal laden silt and acid sulphate sediments when drilling 70 new piles for the new bridge
Loss of parkland:
>significant short term impact on the historic grounds and trees of King George Park and loss of approximately 13,000 sqm of parkland during the 2-year construction process
>permanent loss of approximately 3,000 sqm of parkland in King George Park and Brett Park, Drummoyne.
Loss of two regatta courses
>loss of the last navigable 2000m rowing racing and training course on Sydney Harbour because the piers for the new bridge will force rowers to realign their course twice, increasing the risk of collision with each other and the piers.
>loss of a navigable and large sailing regatta course for the Dobroyd Aquatic Club. The planned new bridge will be built over the regatta course, forcing it to be a short regatta course which has limited use. Losing this course means that Iron Cove will not be able to host sailing regattas for the World Masters Games in October, as currently planned.
>sailing boats will no long be able to sail into Iron Cove – wind studies show that the new bridge impedes wind to the extent that wind-passage will no longer be possible.
Heritage
>visual impact of a modern concrete span bridge is to the detriment of the Heritage-listed Art Deco-style Iron Cove Bridge.
Conditions on construction
Planning approval for the project, granted on 9 April, lists 56 conditions on the construction of the bridge which the RTA states ‘address many of the issues raised by the community and councils in the construction area’, such as realigning the piers of the new bridge to accommodate the 2000m rowing course (three clear 48-metre plus spans) and providing new parking areas. The RTA also says that funding for the new bridge has been augmented by $20million to meet these concerns.
The current drawings for the new bridge show that the RTA has not aligned the new pylons so that the 2000m course is navigable.
What’s the solution? The Morrisey better bridge alternatives
There is a cost-effective alternative: a design that expands the traffic-carrying capacity of the current Iron Cove bridge to accommodate the same traffic flow and busways as building a second bridge.
Michael Morrisey, of architects Morrisey Design, proposes to attach cross beams to the piers of the existing bridge with concrete decking for additional traffic lanes.
This proposal has been backed by Australia’s leading structural engineer Tristram Carfrae of Arup, and Brian Zulaikha, President of the NSW chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects, who say it is cheaper, quicker to build and far less intrusive than constructing a new bridge.
We offer you the plans, and the photomontages for you to decide: what is more sensible, what looks better?
Want more information?
If you are interested in finding out more about what the RTA proposes, the impact of the new bridge on your rowing, Bay walking, travel and use of Iron Cove and the alternative Morrisey better bridge proposal, the contacts page offer extensive information.
If you want to become more actively involved in the fight against the new Iron Cove Bridge, visit the action page here.
