Description
Sea Cliff Bridge and Lawrence Hargrave Drive Bridges are two road bridges that link the coastal villages of Coalcliff and Clifton in the northern Illawarra region of New South Wales.
The Sea Cliff Bridge replaced a part of Lawrence Hargrave that closed in August 2003 due to regular rock falls. The road closure sparked a public outcry as Lawrence Hargrave Drive is the only direct road link to northern suburbs of Wollongong.
The 450-metre-long (1,476 ft) Sea Cliff Bridge, costing AUD 52 million, is located up to 70 metres (230 ft) east of original alignment of Lawrence Hargrave Drive, and links Coalcliff and Clifton. The structure comprises of a haunched box girder made of prestressed concrete that was built using the balanced cantilever method, with five spans. Adjoining the Sea Cliff Bridge is the 210-metre-long (689 ft) Lawrence Hargrave Drive Bridge, which is often not considered as a separate bridge. This latter girder bridge was constructed using the incremental launching method, with seven spans range, from 24 to 31 metres (79 to 102 ft), shares a common pier with the Sea Cliff Bridge. The bridges accommodate two traffic lanes of 3.5 to 3.8 metres (11 to 12 ft) and a 2.5-metre (8 ft) pedestrian pathway. Cyclists share the traffic lanes, while a 1.2-metre (4 ft) wide shoulder exists on each side of the road.
Sea Cliff Bridge was officially opened in 2005 by the then-NSW Premier Morris Iemma. The Sea Cliff Bridge remains a
[See more][See less]