Story Bridge

{{Short description|Steel cantilever bridge in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia}}

{{Infobox bridge|

| image = BNE-StoryBridge-fromCityCat.jpg

| bridge_name = Story Bridge

| locale = Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

| named_for = John Douglas Story

| owner = Brisbane City Council

| carries = Motor vehicles (pedestrian and cycle paths indefinitely closed)

| crosses = Brisbane River

| designer = John Bradfield

| builder = Evans Deakin and Hornibrook Constructions

| begin = May 1935

| open = {{Start date and age|1940|07|06|df=yes}}

| below = {{convert|30.4|m}} at mid-span

| architect =

| heritage = Queensland Heritage number: {{URL|1=https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/heritage-register/detail/?id=600240|2=600240}}

| design = Steel cantilever

| mainspan = {{convert|282|m}}

| length = {{convert|777|m}}

| width = {{convert|24|m}}

| height = {{convert|74|m}}

| coordinates = {{coord|-27.4635|153.0358|type:landmark_region:AU|display=it}}

}}

The Story Bridge is a heritage-listed steel cantilever bridge spanning the Brisbane River built to carry vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the northern and the southern suburbs of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is the longest cantilever bridge in Australia.{{cite news |last=Moore |first=Tony |date=22 May 2023 |title=New walkway to link Story Bridge to city heart |url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/new-walkway-to-link-story-bridge-to-city-heart-20230522-p5dad3.html |work=Brisbane Times |access-date=1 June 2023 |archive-date=1 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601110700/https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/new-walkway-to-link-story-bridge-to-city-heart-20230522-p5dad3.html |url-status=live }}

The road across the bridge is named Bradfield Highway. The bridge connects Fortitude Valley to Kangaroo Point. The Story Bridge opened in 1940 and was tolled until 1947. It is named after prominent public servant John Douglas Story.

In March 2025, the joint pedestrian and cycle paths on the outer edges of the bridge were closed indefinitely. Brisbane City Council had deemed the paths unsafe after the discovery of rust and concrete cancer. Council has also determined that the bridge will require a full restoration by 2045 to ensure it does not close.{{Cite web |title=Story Bridge restoration project |url=https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/transport-and-parking/transport-projects/story-bridge-restoration-project |access-date=2025-05-31 |website=Brisbane City Council |language=en}}

History

Given the early settlement of Kangaroo Point, there is a long history of residents wanting a bridge between the Brisbane CBD and Kangaroo Point. Even while the first Victoria Bridge was being constructed between North Brisbane and South Brisbane in 1865, several hundred people were petitioning for a second bridge to be built from the Customs House to Kangaroo Point. The Brisbane Courier. |date=16 March 1865 |access-date=6 August 2015 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}} In 1888, a meeting was held in the Brisbane Town Hall to demand a bridge connecting either George Street, Albert Street or Edward Street via the City Botanic Gardens with any loss of the land from the gardens to be potentially compensated by removing Government House.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article187796383 |title=Brisbane River Bridge. |newspaper=The Telegraph |location=Brisbane |date=3 November 1888 |access-date=6 August 2015 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}

=Planning=

A bridge downstream of the Victoria Bridge was part of a larger plan, devised by Professor Roger Hawken of the University of Queensland in the 1920s, for a series of bridges over the Brisbane River to alleviate congestion on Victoria Bridge and to divert traffic away from the Brisbane central business district. The William Jolly Bridge was the first of the Hawken Plan bridges to be constructed. Lack of funds precluded the construction of the downstream bridge at that time. Initially plans called for a transporter bridge further downstream near New Farm.

In 1926 Kangaroo Point was recommended by the Brisbane City Council's Cross River Commission.{{cite book |title=Brisbane Then and Now |last=Gregory |first=Helen |year=2007 |publisher=Salamander Books |location=Wingfield, South Australia |isbn=978-1-74173-011-1 |page=92}} Subsequently, the bridge was constructed as a public works program during the Great Depression. The cost was to be no more than £1.6 million.{{cite book |title=Petries Bight: a Slice of Brisbane History |last=Hacker |first=D. R. |year=1999 |publisher=Queensland Women's Historical Association Inc |location=Bowen Hills, Queensland |isbn=0-9590271-8-1 |pages=45–46 }}

File:Plans for the Brisbane River Bridge (later named Story Bridge), circa 1934.jpg

=Construction=

File:StateLibQld 1 115280 Brisbane River and Story Bridge, 1939.jpg

Before the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932 the Government of Queensland asked John Bradfield to design a new bridge in Brisbane.{{cn|date=August 2021}}

The Queensland Government appointed John Bradfield on 15 December 1933 as consulting engineer to the Bureau of Industry who were in charge of the construction of the bridge. In June 1934 Bradfield's recommendation of a steel cantilever bridge was approved. The design for the bridge was based heavily on that of the Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal, completed in 1930. On 30 April 1935 a consortium of two Queensland companies, Evans Deakin and Hornibrook Constructions, won the tender with a bid of £1,150,000.'Story Bridge: Idea to Icon' by Michael Moy, published Alpha Orion Press, Brisbane, 2005

File:Inspection of the Story Bridge.png Sir Leslie Orme Wilson and consulting engineer Bradfield inspecting the bridge, 7 July 1938]]

Construction on the bridge began on 24 May 1935, with the first sod being turned by the then Premier of Queensland, William Forgan Smith. Components for the bridge were fabricated in a purpose-built factory at Rocklea. There are 1.25 million rivets (metal pins or bolts) in the Story Bridge.{{Cite web|url=https://storybridgeadventureclimb.com.au/your-brisbane-bridge-climb-questions-answered/|title=Your Brisbane Bridge Climb Questions Answered!|website=Story Bridge Adventure Climb|date=10 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190304153456/https://storybridgeadventureclimb.com.au/your-brisbane-bridge-climb-questions-answered/|archive-date=4 March 2019|url-status=live|access-date=6 May 2019}} During its construction, work sometimes continued 24 hours per day. The bridge has only one pier on the northern bank but two piers on the lower southern bank, one to bear the weight (the main pier) and, further to the south, one to prevent the bridge from twisting (the anchor pier). There was no need for an anchor pier on the northern bank as the bridge was anchored into schist cliff face. The primary challenge in constructing the bridge was the southern foundations that went {{convert|40|m}} below ground level. It was not possible to excavate to that level as water from the river would rapidly seep in. So a pneumatic caisson technique had to be used. As men were working under pressures of up to 4 times normal air pressure, a decompression period of almost 2 hours was needed at the end of each shift to avoid the bends. An on-site air lock hospital successfully treated the 65 cases of the bends that occurred. On 28 October 1939 the gap between the two sides was closed. A concrete decking was then laid, covered by a Trinidad pitch topping. The bridge was painted and sodium lighting was installed. The bridge approaches were also prepared.

Three men died during the construction of the bridge.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article40948299|title=Bridge Cost Three Men Their Lives|date=29 June 1940|issue=2129|location=Brisbane|page=18|via=National Library of Australia|newspaper=The Courier-Mail|access-date=8 June 2017}} On 22 November 1937, Hans James Zimmerman slipped and fell {{convert|75|ft}} to the ground.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article124595787|title=First Story Bridge Fatality |date=23 November 1937|newspaper=Queensland Times|access-date=3 August 2017|issue=15,915|volume=LXXVIII |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}} On 7 February 1939, Alfred William Jackson fell from the bridge into the river. Although pulled from the water alive, he died 4 hours later in hospital without regaining consciousness.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article70845883|title=Carpenter Falls From Story Bridge |date=9 February 1939|newspaper=The Central Queensland Herald|access-date=3 August 2017|issue=477|volume=10 |page=41|via=National Library of Australia}} On 6 December 1939, Arthur McKay (Max) Wharton was hit by a piece of equipment on a nerve that made him faint, falling from the bridge to the water; 18 months earlier Wharton saved another worker from falling from the bridge.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article184753681|title=100 ft. Death Fall From New Bridge|date=6 December 1939|newspaper=The Telegraph|access-date=3 August 2017|location=Brisbane|page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Construction of a new underpass was begun on the southside in 2023 to facilitate access to the Kangaroo Point Green Bridge. In 2025 it was revealed the bridge was at risk of collapse and may need to be tolled to fund restoration works. Footpaths have been closed indefinitely and the bridge is at risk of demolition.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/18/brisbane-grapples-with-multimillion-dollar-cost-revitalising-story-bridge|title=A bridge too far: Brisbane grapples with the multimillion-dollar cost of revitalising an icon|last=Messenger|first=Andrew|work=The Guardian|date=17 May 2025|access-date=21 May 2025}} File:Brisbane City Skyline.jpg

= Naming =

Until it was completed, the bridge was known as the Jubilee Bridge in honour of King George V. It was opened on 6 July 1940 by Sir Leslie Orme Wilson, Governor of Queensland and named after John Douglas Story, a senior and influential public servant who had advocated strongly for the bridge's construction.{{cite book |title=Living History of Brisbane |last=Hogan |first=Janet |year=1982 |publisher=Boolarong Publications |location=Spring Hill, Queensland |isbn=0-908175-41-8 |page=109 }}

Operations

File:Brisbane time-lapse video.ogv

File:Queensland State Archives 4053 Toll booth and office Brisbane 20 February 1941.png

File:Brisbane CBD and Brisbane River views from Bowen Terrace 01.jpg

The bridge carries an average of 97,000 vehicles each day.{{Cite news |url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/environment/weather/heatwave-could-see-brisbane-reach-40-degrees-20140102-3074y.html |title=Heatwave could see Brisbane reach 40 degrees |author=Kim Stephens & Cameron Atfield |access-date=2 January 2014 |date=2 January 2014 |work=Brisbane Times |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103050920/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/environment/weather/heatwave-could-see-brisbane-reach-40-degrees-20140102-3074y.html |archive-date=3 January 2014 }} The Story Bridge carries three lanes of traffic in either direction as well as a shared pedestrian and cycle way flanking each side. The road on the bridge is called the Bradfield Highway. It is not to be confused with the Bradfield Highway that spans the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Initially a toll of sixpence (5 cents) was charged to use the bridge, with toll booths constructed at the southern end of the Bradfield Highway. The toll was removed in 1947.{{cite book |title=Brisbane 150 Stories |year=2009 |publisher=Brisbane City Council Publication |isbn=978-1-876091-60-6 |page=183 }} Between 1952 and 1969 trolley-buses operated by the Brisbane City Council used the bridge.

Following completion of the bridge, an expressway was constructed on the southern side of the bridge (opened 18 May 1970),[http://www.leighton.com.au/verve/_resources/L_News_June_1970.pdf Leighton Holdings Newsletter] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330174237/http://www.leighton.com.au/verve/_resources/L_News_June_1970.pdf |date=30 March 2012 }}, June 1970 and a tunnel/loop was constructed at Kemp Place on the northern side (completed 10 July 1972).[http://www.leighton.com.au/verve/_resources/L_News_Aug_1972.pdf Leighton Holdings Newsletter] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330173426/http://www.leighton.com.au/verve/_resources/L_News_Aug_1972.pdf |date=30 March 2012 }}, August 1972

Maintenance

File:Brisbane Riverfire 2009 Bridge.jpg at Story Bridge]]

Resurfacing works were undertaken in 1994.{{cite news |url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/bridge-crew-have-a-hot-story-to-tell-20140104-30aw7.html |title=Bridge crew have a hot Story to tell |first=Cameron |last=Atfield |date=4 January 2014 |work=Brisbane Times |access-date=5 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180705150756/https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/bridge-crew-have-a-hot-story-to-tell-20140104-30aw7.html |archive-date=5 July 2018 |url-status=live }}

The Story Bridge was closed to traffic from midnight of Friday 3 January 2014 until 5.30 a.m. Monday, 6 January 2014, for essential maintenance work of resurfacing all six lanes.{{cite news|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/story-bridge-to-close-for-roadworks-on-first-weekend-of-2014/story-fnihsrf2-1226789427021|title=Story Bridge to close for roadworks the first weekend of 2014|work=The Courier-Mail|date=4 January 2014|last=Tin|first=Jason|access-date=7 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225000035/http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/story-bridge-to-close-for-roadworks-on-first-weekend-of-2014/story-fnihsrf2-1226789427021|archive-date=25 December 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-transport/roads-infrastructure-bikeways/road-intersection-upgrades/story-bridge-resurfacing-works|title=Story Bridge resurfacing works|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714144939/http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-transport/roads-infrastructure-bikeways/road-intersection-upgrades/story-bridge-resurfacing-works |archive-date=14 July 2014 |url-status=dead|publisher=Brisbane City Council|access-date=7 May 2018}}

Closure for maintenance occurred again from 9 p.m. Friday 27 April 2018 until 5 a.m. Monday 30 April 2018.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-27/story-bridge-closing-two-days-concrete-water-proofing/9700418|title=Story Bridge water damage prompts two-day closure for repairs to southern approach|last=Hyam|first=Rebecca|date=27 April 2018|website=ABC News|access-date=7 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180429180710/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-27/story-bridge-closing-two-days-concrete-water-proofing/9700418|archive-date=29 April 2018}}

Role in contemporary Brisbane

The Story Bridge features prominently in the annual Riverfire fireworks display and is illuminated at night. In 1990, road traffic was halted so pedestrians could celebrate the 50th anniversary of the bridge's construction. The bridge was again closed to road traffic on 5 July 2015 to celebrate the 75th anniversary. The celebration attracted almost 75,000 visitors to the bridge who enjoyed food, drink and entertainment as they walked across lanes usually reserved for vehicles.{{cite web|last1=Atfield|first1=Cameron|title=Thousands flock to Story Bridge 75th birthday celebrations|url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/thousands-flock-to-story-bridge-75th-birthday-celebrations-20150705-gi5epp.html|website=Brisbane Times|date=5 July 2015 |access-date=7 July 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707215201/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/thousands-flock-to-story-bridge-75th-birthday-celebrations-20150705-gi5epp.html|archive-date=7 July 2015}}

Bridge climbs began in 2005 and have become a popular tourist attraction.{{cite news |url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/seventy-years-on-story-bridge-still-going-strong-20100705-zxeu.html |title=Seventy years on, Story Bridge still going strong |first=Amy |last=Hutchinson |date=6 July 2010 |work=Brisbane Times |access-date=5 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180705150758/https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/seventy-years-on-story-bridge-still-going-strong-20100705-zxeu.html |archive-date=5 July 2018 |url-status=live }}

A picture of the bridge featured on Brisbane Bitter.{{cite book |title=The World Guide To Beer: The Brewing Styles, the Brands, the Countries |author-link=Michael Jackson (writer) |author=Michael Jackson |page=230 |year=1984 |publisher=The Apple Press |isbn=9781850760009 }}

Suicides

Similar to many large bridges such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Brisbane's Story Bridge has become notorious as a suicide hotspot.{{cite web|title=Brisbane Times news article|date=21 February 2012 |url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/school-resumes-for-heartbroken-churchie-students-20120221-1tkyw.html|access-date=21 February 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223021141/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/school-resumes-for-heartbroken-churchie-students-20120221-1tkyw.html|archive-date=23 February 2012}} Following two high-profile murder-suicides from the bridge in 2011 and 2012, Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk announced plans to install free telephones linked to suicide prevention hotlines. On 6 February 2013, Quirk announced plans to install a three-metre-high safety barrier. Overall the plan cost about $8.4 million and was completed in December 2015.{{cite web|title=Safety barriers for Story Bridge|date=6 February 2013 |url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/safety-barriers-for-story-bridge-20130206-2dxvl.html|access-date=6 February 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130207133212/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/safety-barriers-for-story-bridge-20130206-2dxvl.html|archive-date=7 February 2013}}

Heritage listing

The bridge was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992.{{cite QHR|15015|Story Bridge|600240|access-date=13 December 2023}}

In 1988, the bridge received a Historic Engineering Marker from Engineers Australia.{{cite web|url=https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/portal/heritage/story-bridge-brisbane-river-1940|title=Story Bridge, Brisbane River, 1940–|publisher=Engineers Australia|access-date=9 September 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160915001517/https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/portal/heritage/story-bridge-brisbane-river-1940|archive-date=15 September 2016}}

In 2009 as part of the Q150 celebrations, the Story Bridge was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for its role as a "structure and engineering feat".{{Cite web|url=http://statements.qld.gov.au/statement/id/64301|title=Premier Unveils Queensland's 150 Icons |last=Bligh|first=Anna|author-link=Anna Bligh|date=10 June 2009|publisher=Queensland Government|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524033717/http://statements.qld.gov.au/statement/id/64301|archive-date=24 May 2017|access-date=24 May 2017}}

References

External links

{{Structurae|id=20004718|title=Story Bridge}}
[https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/facilities-recreation/parks-venues/parks/using-council-parks/park-bookings-consents/designated-sites-park-bookings/captain-burke-park-designated-booking-site Brisbane City Council – Captain Burke Park]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20060907135007/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/keir.clarke/story.htm View on Google Maps] – includes a short video.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20100820141015/http://www.citymakers.org/infrastructure-in-brisbane-dummy/117-story-bridge.html Urban design review of Story Bridge on citymakers.org]
[https://buildings.slq.qld.gov.au/feature.html?id=0543e01f-528c-4b63-ab31-07ef44c07f0e Story Bridge Discovery Queensland Buildings website]
[https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/story-bridge-history-pictures Story Bridge - History in Pictures], State Library of Queensland
[https://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/permalink/61SLQ_INST/1dejkfd/alma99284523402061 Story Bridge Construction Photograph Album 1931-1940], State Library of Queensland
[https://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/permalink/61SLQ_INST/1dejkfd/alma99205673402061 Story Bridge Photograph Albums 1934-1941], State Library of Queensland

Category:Bridges in Brisbane

Category:Bridges completed in 1940

Category:Bridges over the Brisbane River

Category:Former toll bridges in Australia

Category:Cantilever bridges in Australia

Category:Steel bridges in Australia

Category:Road bridges in Queensland

Category:Queensland Heritage Register

Category:Fortitude Valley, Queensland

Category:Kangaroo Point, Queensland

Category:1940 establishments in Australia

Category:History of Brisbane