William Jolly Bridge, Brisbane
Encyclopedia
The William Jolly Bridge is a vehicular and pedestrian bridge over the Brisbane River
in Brisbane
, Queensland
, 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.
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.
during peak periods. It was designed by Harding Frew
, a local but prominent civil engineer
.
The style of the bridge's design is art deco
, which was popular at the time. Manuel R. Hornibrook's company built the bridge that consists of two piers that were built in the river and two pylons on the river banks, which support three graceful arches. The rainbow arch type, as it was described, was claimed to be the first of its type in Australia. The concrete surface was treated to make it appear like "light-coloured porphyry
".
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.
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 Go Between Bridge
is expected to relieve congestion on the William Jolly Bridge now that it has opened.
Brisbane River
The Brisbane River is the longest river in south east Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay. John Oxley was the first European to explore the river who named it after the Governor of New South Wales, Thomas Brisbane in 1823...
in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is a steel frame arch bridge
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
with an unusual concrete veneer and was opened to traffic on 30 March 1932 by Sir John Goodwin
John Goodwin (governor)
Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Herbert John Chapman Goodwin KCB, KCMG, DSO , known as Sir John Goodwin, was a British soldier and medical practitioner, who served as the Governor of the Australian state of Queensland between 1927 and 1932.Goodwin was born in 1871 in Kandy, Ceylon to a British Army...
, the Governor of Queensland.
When opened, during the worst year of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, 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
William Jolly
William Alfred Jolly CMG was the Mayor of Windsor Town Council from 1918 to 1923, and the first Lord Mayor of the Greater Brisbane City Council from 1925 to 1931.-Public life:...
, the first Lord Mayor
Lord Mayor
The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
of Greater Brisbane.
Design
The aim of the bridge was to reduce traffic congestion on Victoria BridgeVictoria Bridge, Brisbane
The Victoria Bridge is a vehicular and pedestrian bridge over the Brisbane River. The current bridge, opened in 1969, is the third permanent crossing erected at this location...
during peak periods. It was designed by Harding Frew
Harding Frew
Alison Eavis Harding Frew , known professionally as "Harding Frew", was an Australian civil engineer primarily concerned with engineering projects in Queensland, his home state.-Projects:*80 bridges throughout Queensland...
, a local but prominent civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
.
The style of the bridge's design is art deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
, which was popular at the time. Manuel R. Hornibrook's company built the bridge that consists of two piers that were built in the river and two pylons on the river banks, which support three graceful arches. The rainbow arch type, as it was described, was claimed to be the first of its type in Australia. The concrete surface was treated to make it appear like "light-coloured porphyry
Porphyry (geology)
Porphyry is a variety of igneous rock consisting of large-grained crystals, such as feldspar or quartz, dispersed in a fine-grained feldspathic matrix or groundmass. The larger crystals are called phenocrysts...
".
Traffic use
The William Jolly Bridge is shared by vehicular traffic, pedestrians and cyclists. It connects Grey Street in South BrisbaneSouth Brisbane, Queensland
South Brisbane is an inner city suburb of Brisbane, Australia located on the southern bank of the Brisbane River, directly connected to the central business district by the Kurilpa, Victoria and Goodwill bridges....
to Roma Street on the western edge of the Brisbane central business district
Brisbane central business district
The Brisbane central business district , sometimes referred to as the city, is a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and is located on a point on the northern bank of the Brisbane River. The triangular shaped area is bounded by the Brisbane River to the east, south and west...
. The bridge was conceived as a bypass for motor traffic between the southern suburbs and western suburbs of Brisbane to avoid increasing traffic congestion
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
on the Victoria Bridge
Victoria Bridge, Brisbane
The Victoria Bridge is a vehicular and pedestrian bridge over the Brisbane River. The current bridge, opened in 1969, is the third permanent crossing erected at this location...
and on downtown streets such as George Street. It was constructed with the intention of building tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
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 footpathSidewalk
A sidewalk, or pavement, footpath, footway, and sometimes platform, is a path along the side of a road. A sidewalk may accommodate moderate changes in grade and is normally separated from the vehicular section by a curb...
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 Go Between Bridge
Go Between Bridge
The Go Between Bridge, formerly known as the Hale Street Link, is a toll bridge for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists over the Brisbane River in innercity Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The bridge connects Merivale and Cordelia Streets in West End to Hale Street and the Inner City Bypass at...
is expected to relieve congestion on the William Jolly Bridge now that it has opened.