Dual rail bridges to be installed on the Beveridge to Albury section of the Inland Rail project have been lifted into place.
The recent early morning work at Broadford was a highly co-ordinated operation by John Holland during a 15-hour closure of the rail corridor 88 km north of Melbourne.
At Hamilton Street in Broadford, five 35 metre girders weighing approximately 40 tonnes each, were lifted into place by a 750-tonne mobile crane to form the backbone of the dual bridges.
At a nearby site, the new 36 metre-long Short Street Bridge will be lifted into place. It weighs about 265 tonnes and will be lifted into place by a 650-tonne crawler crane. The old Short Street Bridge will be demolished when the new bridge is completed in 2026.
Scott Anderson, Inland Rail Acting Delivery Director Beveridge to Albury, said the Hamilton Street bridge lifts in Broadford were a major milestone for the project.
“We’re replacing three bridges in Broadford, so it’s great to see the first two now spanning the rail corridor,” he said. “There’s still plenty of work to do before we can open the bridges to the community next year, but it’s a big step forward to have the girders installed.”
This work is part of the Inland Rail project’s remit to build higher bridges and lower railway tracks to create clearance for double-stacked freight trains on the 1600 kilometre-long rail route between Melbourne and Brisbane.
About the author
Desi Corbett
Desi is the Editor of Concrete in Australia, at the helm since December 2013, and our weekly news writer since 2016. Focused on concrete and construction for more than 11 years, her expertise in this field forms part of a journalism career spanning three decades. To get in touch please email desi@corbettcomms.com