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Tom Uglys Bridge
Tom Uglys Bridge are two road bridges, completed in 1929 and 1987, that carry the Princes Highway
across the Georges River in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The bridges link the St George area at Blakehurst to the Sutherland Shire at Sylvania. Tom Uglys Bridge is one of six major road crossings of Georges River.
The 1929 Pratt truss bridge is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register and carries three lanes of northbound vehicular traffic on the Princes Highway. The 1987 concrete box girder bridge was built to the east of the older bridge and carries the three southbound lanes of the highway. Both bridges have shared bicycle and pedestrian pathways.
Tenders were called to construct a punt for Tom Ugly's Point in 1864. A hand-operated punt service from Tom Ugly's Point to Horse Rock Point commenced. The ferry service was improved and expanded over the years. In 1882 a steam-driven ferry, guided by steel cables, was installed. It crossed the river in less than ten minutes. The punt was 16 metres (54 ft) long, had a 3.4-metre (11 ft) wide roadway, and was capable of carrying six horse-drawn vehicles. By 1898 a larger steam-driven ferry began operation. It was capable of carrying one hundred passengers and fifteen vehicles. A new punt capable of carrying 28 vehicles and making the crossing in three minutes was installed in 1922. By 1929 there were two cable ferries operating, and delays of several hours were experienced on weekends and public holidays.
Following a long campaign by local councils and motoring authorities, a New South Wales Government loan to Sutherland Shire Council was used to finance the replacement of one of the punt services across the Georges River. The Bill for the building of a bridge across the Georges River was introduced into New South Wales Parliament in 1923, and the foundation stone for the bridge was laid on 7 June 1924. The funds borrowed by Sutherland Shire Council were to be repaid by a bridge toll once it was opened. As use of the punt was free the bridge toll was controversial. The crossing was first opened for traffic on 26 April 1929, and officially opened by the Governor of New South Wales on 11 May 1929. It was known as the "George's River Bridge".
The 1929 bridge consists of nine steel truss spans forming a total length of 499 metres (1,637 ft); six spans were 69.5 metres (228 ft) and three spans were 27.4 metres (90 ft). The bridge was designed by Percy Allan who designed many bridges in New South Wales including the Pyrmont Bridge. When the bridge was opened it was the longest bridge in Australia.
The toll was collected on the Sylvania side of the bridge by toll collectors who stood on the road. On 31 May 1952 the tolls were removed when the Council had repaid the loan to the NSW Government.
In the late 1940s the lanes on the bridge were reconfigured to provide a third lane, and this allow the introduction of a tidal flow system (northbound in the morning and southbound in the evening), which continued until the second bridge was opened. Notwithstanding the creation of the third lane, by the mid 1960s congestion had grown to a significant level, especially on summer weekend afternoons. However it was not for another twenty years that funding was allocated by the New South Wales government for the design and construction of a duplicate bridge.
In 2006, the 1929 steel truss bridge was repainted. The original lead paint was removed using a blasting process and an air extraction system was employed to safely remove airborne particles, protecting the environment as well as the workers.
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Tom Uglys Bridge
Tom Uglys Bridge are two road bridges, completed in 1929 and 1987, that carry the Princes Highway
across the Georges River in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The bridges link the St George area at Blakehurst to the Sutherland Shire at Sylvania. Tom Uglys Bridge is one of six major road crossings of Georges River.
The 1929 Pratt truss bridge is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register and carries three lanes of northbound vehicular traffic on the Princes Highway. The 1987 concrete box girder bridge was built to the east of the older bridge and carries the three southbound lanes of the highway. Both bridges have shared bicycle and pedestrian pathways.
Tenders were called to construct a punt for Tom Ugly's Point in 1864. A hand-operated punt service from Tom Ugly's Point to Horse Rock Point commenced. The ferry service was improved and expanded over the years. In 1882 a steam-driven ferry, guided by steel cables, was installed. It crossed the river in less than ten minutes. The punt was 16 metres (54 ft) long, had a 3.4-metre (11 ft) wide roadway, and was capable of carrying six horse-drawn vehicles. By 1898 a larger steam-driven ferry began operation. It was capable of carrying one hundred passengers and fifteen vehicles. A new punt capable of carrying 28 vehicles and making the crossing in three minutes was installed in 1922. By 1929 there were two cable ferries operating, and delays of several hours were experienced on weekends and public holidays.
Following a long campaign by local councils and motoring authorities, a New South Wales Government loan to Sutherland Shire Council was used to finance the replacement of one of the punt services across the Georges River. The Bill for the building of a bridge across the Georges River was introduced into New South Wales Parliament in 1923, and the foundation stone for the bridge was laid on 7 June 1924. The funds borrowed by Sutherland Shire Council were to be repaid by a bridge toll once it was opened. As use of the punt was free the bridge toll was controversial. The crossing was first opened for traffic on 26 April 1929, and officially opened by the Governor of New South Wales on 11 May 1929. It was known as the "George's River Bridge".
The 1929 bridge consists of nine steel truss spans forming a total length of 499 metres (1,637 ft); six spans were 69.5 metres (228 ft) and three spans were 27.4 metres (90 ft). The bridge was designed by Percy Allan who designed many bridges in New South Wales including the Pyrmont Bridge. When the bridge was opened it was the longest bridge in Australia.
The toll was collected on the Sylvania side of the bridge by toll collectors who stood on the road. On 31 May 1952 the tolls were removed when the Council had repaid the loan to the NSW Government.
In the late 1940s the lanes on the bridge were reconfigured to provide a third lane, and this allow the introduction of a tidal flow system (northbound in the morning and southbound in the evening), which continued until the second bridge was opened. Notwithstanding the creation of the third lane, by the mid 1960s congestion had grown to a significant level, especially on summer weekend afternoons. However it was not for another twenty years that funding was allocated by the New South Wales government for the design and construction of a duplicate bridge.
In 2006, the 1929 steel truss bridge was repainted. The original lead paint was removed using a blasting process and an air extraction system was employed to safely remove airborne particles, protecting the environment as well as the workers.