Waller

Jordan Waller 8A 

I chose to study Sydney Harrbour Bridge. Sydney Harbour Bridge is in Sydney, Australia. Construction on the bridge began in July of 1923 and the bridge was opened on March 19, 1932. In total the bridge took over eight years to complete. As the name suggest, it spans Sydney Harbour. It was built to connect the city center on the south side of the harbor with the residential areas on the north side of the harbor. Before the bridge was built the only way to get across the harbor was by ferry or by a 20 km road route. The bridge made travel between the two sides of the harbor MUCH easier. Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel arch bridge, and it was designed by Dr. JJC Bradfield. Bradfield was originally going to make Sydney Harbour Bridge a cantilever bridge, but then he realized that a steel arch bridge would be better for this project. A steel arch bridge could carry the same weight as a cantilever bridge, but it would require less steel, making it the more suitable choice. In addition, there were people living in the bridge's path. 800 families who were in the way of the bridge were relocated and their homes were destroyed when the bridge began to be built. The families were not compensated. Sydney Harbour bridge is 1.15 km long, which is 3770 feet, 49 meters wide, and it is 134 meters to the top of the arch. The arch itself weighs 39,000 tons. The bridge is made of steel, concrete, and granite. It cost 4.2 million pounds. Sydney Harbour bridge was the highest point in Sydney until 1967. It is also the widest long span bridge in the world. About six million rivets have gone into the building of Sydney Harbour Bridge. The average traffic is about 160,000 vehicles per day. 

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