William Jolly Bridge, Brisbane

Infobox Bridge

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bridge_name=William Jolly
official_name=William Jolly Bridge
locale=Brisbane, Australia
carries=Motor vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists
crosses=Brisbane River
open=30 March 1932
below=
design=Steel frame arch bridge
mainspan=
length=
width=

The William Jolly Bridge is the sixth crossing of the Brisbane River in Brisbane, Australia. It is a steel frame arch bridge with an unusual concrete veneer and was opened to traffic on 30 March 1932 by Sir John Goodwin, the Governor of Queensland. It was designed by Harding Frew, a local but prominent civil engineer. [cite book |title=The Brisbane River: A pictorial history |last=Longhurst |first=Robert |coauthors=William Douglas |publisher=W.D. Incorporated Pty Ltd |location=Brisbane |isbn=0646344722 |pages=26]

The bridge is in the art deco style which was popular at the time.

When opened, during the worst year of the Great Depression, the bridge was known simply as the Grey Street Bridge. It was renamed to the William Jolly Bridge on 5 July 1955 in memory of William Jolly, the first Lord Mayor of Greater Brisbane.

Traffic use

The William Jolly Bridge is shared by vehicular traffic, pedestrians and cyclists. It connects Grey Street in South Brisbane to Roma Street on the western edge of the Brisbane central business district. The bridge was conceived as a bypass for motor traffic between the southern suburbs and western suburbs of Brisbane to avoid increasing traffic congestion on the Victoria Bridge and on downtown streets such as George Street. It was constructed with the intention of building tram lines over it and although the tracks were never installed, anchor points for tramway overhead were installed at the top of each arch. These overhead anchor points remain in situ.

Congestion

The bridge has two lanes for motor traffic in each direction, and a footpath on each side of the bridge. By 2006, the Brisbane City Council reported that on a typical weekday, 42000 vehicles crossed the bridge and at peak times both ends of the bridge suffered from congestion. The proposed Hale Street bridge is expected to relieve congestion on the William Jolly Bridge when it opens in 2010.

Cultural references

The bridge was a location for the filming of "Inspector Gadget 2". [cite web |url=http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22929522-5012980,00.html |title=Casting director faces the camera |accessdate=2008-01-11 |format= |work=The Courier Mail ]

ee also

*Bridges of Brisbane

References

External links

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