1943: A floating bridge was built across the River Derwent to link Hobart’s eastern and western shores. It consisted of a series of pontoons with an iron lift span near the western shore. An identical lift section can be seen today spanning the Derwent River at Bridgewater. The floating bridge frequently suffered substantial storm damage. There was constant disruption of traffic due to the raising of lift span.
1960: Construction of the Tasman Bridge began.
1965: Tasman Bridge officially opened.
1975: On the 5th January at 9:27 p.m. the Lake Illawarra struck a concrete pylon of the bridge, resulting in the deaths of twelve people and its closure for two years. It removed two pylons and 127m of the bridge.
Five motorists and seven crew died. The ship was off course and at fault.
The bridge connects the two halves of Hobart. A lot of people lived on the eastern shore and worked in the CBD of Hobart. With the bridge down Hobart became two cities. At the time the Bowen bridge did not exist. The only way across the river was via Bridgewater. Enterprising business men started transporting commuters across the river. Boom times for ferry operators.
The river is 35m deep at this point and the ship still lies at the bottom of the river with a concrete slab from the bridge on top of it. Ships regularly pass over the sunken ship without a thought. You can go diving on the sunken ship but it is very muddy with low visibility.
1977: Rebuilding of the bridge finished on 8/10/1977.
When the bridge was rebuilt the ferry services stopped. One ferry operator diversified into building ships. Very successfully and still going as Incat. Incat is building ships on the Derwent River just upstream from the Tasman Bridge.
Today: The Tasman Bridge is a five lane bridge with pedestrian paths on both sides. Bikes can use these paths. Walking over the bridge it is very noisy.
The middle lane is reversible. During peak times the middle lane normally goes the way the majority of traffic goes. Lights and signs tell the motorists which way the middle lane is flowing.
Today every ship passing under the bridge picks up a local harbor pilot before passing under the bridge.
All traffic is halted. Everybody is once again reminded of the bridge being hit by a ship.
Many Tasmanians are fearful and anxious about crossing the bridge. Some have had psychological treatment to manage a phobia about crossing the bridge.
1960: Construction of the Tasman Bridge began.
1965: Tasman Bridge officially opened.
1975: On the 5th January at 9:27 p.m. the Lake Illawarra struck a concrete pylon of the bridge, resulting in the deaths of twelve people and its closure for two years. It removed two pylons and 127m of the bridge.
Five motorists and seven crew died. The ship was off course and at fault.
The bridge connects the two halves of Hobart. A lot of people lived on the eastern shore and worked in the CBD of Hobart. With the bridge down Hobart became two cities. At the time the Bowen bridge did not exist. The only way across the river was via Bridgewater. Enterprising business men started transporting commuters across the river. Boom times for ferry operators.
The river is 35m deep at this point and the ship still lies at the bottom of the river with a concrete slab from the bridge on top of it. Ships regularly pass over the sunken ship without a thought. You can go diving on the sunken ship but it is very muddy with low visibility.
1977: Rebuilding of the bridge finished on 8/10/1977.
When the bridge was rebuilt the ferry services stopped. One ferry operator diversified into building ships. Very successfully and still going as Incat. Incat is building ships on the Derwent River just upstream from the Tasman Bridge.
Today: The Tasman Bridge is a five lane bridge with pedestrian paths on both sides. Bikes can use these paths. Walking over the bridge it is very noisy.
The middle lane is reversible. During peak times the middle lane normally goes the way the majority of traffic goes. Lights and signs tell the motorists which way the middle lane is flowing.
Today every ship passing under the bridge picks up a local harbor pilot before passing under the bridge.
All traffic is halted. Everybody is once again reminded of the bridge being hit by a ship.
Many Tasmanians are fearful and anxious about crossing the bridge. Some have had psychological treatment to manage a phobia about crossing the bridge.
