18 August 1964; 59 years ago (1964-08-18) (2 lanes) 23 December 1964; 59 years ago (1964-12-23) (4 lanes) 18 March 1965; 59 years ago (1965-03-18) (official) 8 October 1977; 46 years ago (1977-10-08) (reopened)
Statistics
Daily traffic
73,029 (May 2019)[1]
Location
The Tasman Bridge is a prestressed concrete girder bridge connecting the Tasman Highway over the River Derwent in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. When it opened on 29 March 1965, the Tasman was the longest prestressed concrete bridge in Australia,[2] with a total length measuring 1,396 metres (4,580 ft), including approaches.[3] The bridge provides a vital link between Hobart's city centre on the western shore and the City of Clarence on the eastern shore. Averaging 73,029 vehicle crossings per day, the bridge is the highest volume road section in Tasmania.[1] It features five lanes of traffic including a central lane equipped for tidal flow operations and separated shared-use walkways on both sides, with ramp upgrades for improved access and cyclists completed in 2010.[4]
The Tasman Bridge gained national attention following the Tasman Bridge disaster. On 5 January 1975, the bridge was struck by the bulk ore carrier SS Lake Illawarra, bound for EZ Industries' Risdon Zinc Works with a cargo of 10,000 tonnes (9,800 long tons; 11,000 short tons) of zinc concentrate.[5] It caused two piers and three sections of concrete decking totalling 127 metres (417 ft), to collapse and sink the vessel, resulting in the loss of twelve lives. The disaster split the city in half, forcing commuters living on the eastern shore to make a 50-kilometre (31 mi) round trip to the CBD via the next bridge to the north. The crisis is unique in that no similar analysis of a city divided into two parts could be referenced.[6] After two-and-a-half years, the Tasman Bridge reopened on 8 October 1977.[7][8]
The Bowen Bridge was subsequently constructed to mitigate any future failure of the Tasman Bridge.
In June 2022, the Tasmanian transport ministry revealed a $130 million investment in the Tasman Bridge, the largest since its 1977 reconstruction. Designed by GHD Group with a target completion date set for 2025, the upgrades encompass wider dedicated paths for cyclists and pedestrians, increased barriers between vehicles and pedestrians, improved lighting and digital signage.[9][10]
^ abDepartment of State Growth (2019). Department of State Growth Key Arterials Traffic Data Catalogue(PDF). Retrieved 16 August 2022.
^Cashion 1965.
^Department of Public Works 1965, p. 4.
^"Cycling South Tasmania – Tasman Hwy and Bridge". 2010. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
^"Tasmanian Year Book, 2000". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2002. Retrieved 22 February 2008.
^Whelan, Janet; Seaton, Elizabeth; Cunningham Dax, Eric. "Aftermath, the Tasman Bridge Collapse: criminological and sociological observations" (PDF). Australian Institute of Criminology. Canberra: 59.
^"Tasman Bridge Disaster". Clarence City Council. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
^Gwynn, Liz (19 May 2022). "SS Lake Illawarra mapped in 3D as government prepares to upgrade Tasman Bridge". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
^"Designs released for $130m upgrade of Hobart's Tasman Bridge". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 27 June 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
^Sutherland, Isla (30 June 2022). "Plans released for Hobart bridge refurbishment". Architecture Australia. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
The TasmanBridge is a prestressed concrete girder bridge connecting the Tasman Highway over the River Derwent in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. When it...
The TasmanBridge disaster occurred on the evening of 5 January 1975, in Hobart, the capital city of Australia's island state of Tasmania, when the bulk...
as: The Tasman Peninsula. The TasmanBridge. The Tasman Highway. The Tasman Sea. In New Zealand: The Tasman Glacier. Tasman Lake. The Tasman River. Mount...
up Tasman in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Tasman most often refers to Abel Tasman (1603–1659), Dutch explorer. Tasman may also refer to: Tasman booby...
known for causing the TasmanBridge disaster when she collided with pylon 19 of Hobart's giant high concrete arch style TasmanBridge on the evening of 5...
taken to construct a completely new bridge, the TasmanBridge, which opened in August 1964. The floating bridge was closed to traffic on 17 August of...
resume removing bridge wreckage. List of bridge failures Severn Railway Bridge accident – a similar incident in the UK in 1960 TasmanBridge disaster – a...
around the city. Prior to the construction of the Hobart Bridge, and its replacement the TasmanBridge, ferry services were far more important, and previously...
two-lane bridge crossed the Derwent River at Hobart, Australia. The Bailey bridge was in use until the reconstruction of the TasmanBridge was completed...
carrier that collided with the TasmanBridge in 1975 Marine Floridian, the tanker that collided with the Benjamin Harrison Bridge in 1977 Summit Venture, the...
1200 homes, and the 1975 TasmanBridge disaster, when a bulk ore carrier collided with and destroyed the concrete span bridge that connected the city to...
the Bridgewater Bridge, the Bowen Bridge was constructed to mitigate any future failure of the city's bridges following the TasmanBridge disaster. The...
Tasman Peninsula. With recorded Annual average daily traffic of 67,000, the TasmanBridge is the busiest portion of the Eastern Outlet and the Tasman...
carrier, Lake Illawarra collided with the TasmanBridge collapsing a section of roadway in the TasmanBridge Disaster. Ironically, this event, which severed...
bridge failures List of bridges in Florida Millau Viaduct, bridge with similar design in France TasmanBridge disaster, bridge collapse in 1975 under similar...
This is a list of bridge failures. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005 novel): The fictional Brockdale Bridge, by the Death Eaters (replaced by...
Bridge Bridgewater Bridge (Tasmania, Australia) Hobart Bridge Jordan River Bridge Mcgees Bridge Sorell Causeway TasmanBridge List of bridges in Australia...
heading out to Antarctica. The ship's permission to pass under the TasmanBridge to reach the refueling station at Selfs Point, about 2.2 nautical miles...
Lalit Narayan Mishra, Minister of Railways. January 5 – TasmanBridge disaster: The TasmanBridge in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, is struck by the bulk...
to West Gate Bridge. List of disasters in Australia by death toll List of bridge disasters Erskine BridgeTasmanBridge Suicide bridge Lay, M.G. & Daley...
hours. In 1975 the TasmanBridge collapsed when the bridge was struck by the bulk ore carrier Lake Illawarra. It was the only bridge in Hobart, and made...
MV Lake Illawarra crashes into TasmanBridge, causing 12 deaths and bringing down part of bridge; temporary Bailey bridge put across Derwent 1975: Police...
carrier MV Lake Illawarra collided with the TasmanBridge in what would later be referred to as the TasmanBridge disaster. The ship crashed into pylon 19...
Eastern Outlet (A3, Tasman Highway), Davey Street (A6) and Macquarie Street (A6). The Tasman Highway heads east over the TasmanBridge, past the Airport...
Global Information
Tasman Highway
