Vintage car first to roll on $786 million bridge

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Vintage car first to roll on $786 million bridge

A red Roadster containing two women in their 90s was officially the first car to cross a new bridge dubbed one state’s biggest-ever transport project.

The replacement $786 million Bridgewater Bridge, over the River Derwent north of Hobart, was opened at a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday.

Margaret McMaster and Barbara Jones were given the honour of unveiling a plaque and taking the maiden journey in a 1910 vintage vehicle.

Both women had attended the opening of the bridge’s predecessor in 1946 – a build interrupted by WWII.

The new 1.2km bridge, which will be open to traffic on Monday, has four lanes compared to the previous crossing’s two and a shared walking and bike path.

Since construction began in October 2022, the project has supported around 1000 jobs.

“It is a critical day for Tasmania and one people will remember. A bridge connects people and it connects communities,” Mr Albanese said.

The first bridge at Bridgewater was built in 1849 and there have been five bridges in total at the site.

The most recent version, which is next to its new replacement, contains a lifting section the largest of its kind in Australia which is operated by a small control house.

The federal government contributed $629 million towards the new bridge, with the state government spending $157 million.

It is expected to ease bottlenecks and create more reliable travel times.

Thousands of people braved chilly winds on Sunday to walk across the structure as part of a community event involving mascots and a marching band.

“This is a bridge built by Tasmanians for Tasmanians, and is something that everyone in the state can be proud of,” Premier Jeremy Rockliff said.

“The Bridgewater Bridge has been talked about for decades, but together with every person involved in this project we have delivered it.”

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