New lease on life for historic bridge 28th Apr. 2011
Managing Director of ThomsonAdsett New South Wales, Mr Charles Glanville, will be part of a judging panel for a design competition to upgrade Penrith’s Victoria Bridge. The competition is being held to shape the design direction of the bridge, as part of a $20 million upgrade of the 142 year old structure.
Mr Glanville brings his extensive local design knowledge to the judging process, having lived and practiced architecture in the region for 37 years.
Mr Glanville said the structure of the road bridge over the Nepean River at Penrith has not been changed to respond to increased pedestrian use and as a result, is considered unsafe for pedestrians.
“When the Victoria Bridge was in built in 1869, there were very few people living on the opposite bank to Penrith at Emu Plains. Due to increased population growth, there is now higher use of the pedestrian access over the bridge in both directions,” Mr Glanville said.
“With growing community use of the pedestrian access over the Bridge, it has never been more essential to renew the Bridge’s pedestrian access to ensure safe use,” he said.
Mr Glanville envisions that there is an opportunity for the redesign of the existing bridge to take advantage of the brilliant views of the Nepean River.
“The existing bridge is quite narrow. Trusses about 3m high on both sides, have solid steel infill panels within the triangular shapes of the truss members and consequently does not take advantage of the wonderful views available along the River.”
The Penrith Victoria Bridge Design Competition is the initiative of the Fix Victoria Bridge Community Taskforce, which seeks community insight to update and redesign the oldest existing crossing of the Hawkesbury-Nepean River.
“What we’re really looking for is something that might spur the future designers - spur their thinking. It’s out-of-left-field stuff.”
The Fix Victoria Bridge Community Taskforce is part of the New South Wales Government’s plans to renew local infrastructure.