Milperra Bridge

Prior to the bridge being built, there was no road crossing of Georges River between Tom Uglys Bridge and Liverpool, although the road to Canterbury (Milperra Road) was built up to the east bank. The road over Georges River via Liverpool Weir and the later 1894 truss bridge went southeast toward Wollongong via Old Illawarra Road, through what is now the Holsworthy Military Reserve.

There was call for access between the two post-World War 1 soldier settlement areas at Chipping Norton and Milperra, and a punt was proposed in the early 1920s.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103317534 |title=MEETING AT CHIPPING NORTON. |newspaper=The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers' Advocate |volume=XXXVI |issue=2890 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=2 December 1922 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}

The subsequent early design for the bridge by the Department of Public Works showed a height above water of only {{convert|12|ft|m|0|order=flip}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104722245 |title=TOO LOW |newspaper=The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers' Advocate |volume=XL |issue=3576 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=2 September 1929 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}} which was much decried by the locals, requesting the Department that it be higher, for the commercial and sporting interests of the area. The Department replied with a proposal of {{convert|17|ft|m|0|order=flip}}.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article76315979 |title=Will Block Launches |newspaper=The Biz |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=30 August 1929 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}} The bridge, a two-lane three-span wooden truss bridge, was opened to traffic in April 1931.{{cite news |url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/16629783?searchTerm=Milperra |title=Advertising |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=28,753 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=1 March 1930 |page=22 |via=National Library of Australia}}
{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article76319538 |title=MILPERRA BRIDGE. |newspaper=The Biz |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=28 March 1930 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}

By the 1960s, this bridge was not able to cope with the increase in traffic and was slated for replacement.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article189957509 |title="Bottleneck" bridge to go |newspaper=The Biz |issue=2943 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=14 November 1962 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}

The current prestressed concrete structure, 85 m long, is wider and higher than the previous bridge, and carries six lanes of traffic. It was built in two stages, with the eastbound half being built first, immediately upstream of the original bridge. This opened for two-way traffic in October 1965 and the earlier bridge was then demolished and other half of the new bridge, for westbound traffic, was built on the site of the original bridge.

The replacement bridge was completed and opened in February 1966.

The new bridge was part of a simultaneous upgrading of Milperra and Newbridge Roads, which were widened to six lanes from Victoria St Revesby to what is now Kelso Crescent Moorebank (Kelso Crescent was previously part of Epsom Rd, with Newbridge Road terminating at Epsom Rd).

The section of Newbridge Road from Kelso Crescent westward had been reconstructed to six lanes in 1958 in conjunction with the construction of Liverpool Bridge.

{{Infobox bridge

| name = Milperra Bridge

| native_name =

| native_name_lang =

| image =

| image_upright =

| alt =

| caption =

| coordinates = {{Coord|-33.929441|150.978890|region:AU-NSW_type:landmark|format=dms|display=inline}}

| os_grid_reference =

| carries = Newbridge Road

| crosses = Georges River

| locale =

| official_name =

| other_name = Moorebank Bridge{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article76324392 |title=NEW GEORGES RIVER BRIDGE |newspaper=The Biz |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=21 November 1930 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}

| named_for =

| owner = Transport for NSW

| maint =

| heritage =

| id =

| id_type =

| website =

| preceded =

| followed =

| design = Composite truss

| material = Timber

| material1 =

| material2 =

| length = {{convert|237|ft|m|0|order=flip}}

| width = {{convert|20|ft|m|0|order=flip}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article76317024 |title=Advertising |newspaper=The Biz |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=1 November 1929 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}

| height =

| depth =

| traversable =

| towpath =

| mainspan = {{convert|90|ft|m|0|order=flip}}

| number_spans = 6

| piers_in_water = 5

| load =

| clearance_above =

| clearance_below = {{convert|17|ft|m|0|order=flip}}

| lanes =

| life =

| num_track =

| track_gauge =

| structure_gauge =

| electrification =

| architect =

| designer =

| contracted_designer =

| winner =

| engineering =

| builder =

| fabricator =

| begin =

| complete =

| cost =

| open = 18 April 1931{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16769962 |title=NEW BRIDGE |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=29,105 |date=17 April 1931 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}}

| inaugurated =

| rebuilt =

| collapsed = 1965

| closed =

| replaces =

| replaced_by = Current bridge

| traffic =

| map_type =

| map_relief =

| map_dot_label =

| map_image =

| map_size =

| map_alt =

| map_caption =

}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Bridges in Sydney}}

{{Road infrastructure in Sydney}}

Category:Road bridges in New South Wales

Category:Bridges completed in 1965

Category:1930 establishments in Australia

Category:Concrete bridges in Australia

Category:Bankstown, New South Wales

Category:Liverpool, New South Wales

Category:Georges River