Long awaited Bridgewater Bridge opens to public before it opens for cars tomorrow

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Tasmania's largest transport infrastructure project is complete with the kilometre long Bridgewater Bridge opening to traffic tomorrow. But before it is overrun by cars, pedestrians were allowed to take to the bridge on foot today.

Transcript

00:00It's a day that's essentially been 20 years in the making.

00:06Thousands of people are taking part in a ceremonial walk

00:09over the newly constructed Bridgewater Bridge,

00:12which further connects northern Hobart with Tasmania's Midlands

00:16and onwards to Launceston.

00:18We chatted with a few of the locals to ask them

00:20what makes this such an important occasion.

00:26Why did you want to walk over the bridge today?

00:28Because it's new!

00:30I watched it come from start to finish.

00:34I've worked here at Bridgewater for 30 years

00:37and I never thought I'd see this day. Never did.

00:42It's the first time to get over here.

00:44You've got no idea. This is my family that surprised me to do it.

00:48I wasn't going to do it, but I'm glad I did.

00:50I love it. I love this bridge.

00:52I've never walked on the bridge before,

00:54so I didn't get to Hobart or the Bowen,

00:56so I got this one.

00:57Yeah.

00:58I'll go on the bus and go to the bridge.

01:01Just for the experience, like a one-time experience, you know?

01:04Like it's really big.

01:06Hello!

01:09I've been here long enough to see this start from the beginning

01:12and it's nice to be able to go over it.

01:15Oh, well, just because, you know, we've been waiting for it for so long

01:19and here we are, we're doing it.

01:21At $786 million, the new four-lane bridge essentially replaces the old 1940s two-lane bridge

01:29and allows for continuous flow of traffic up the centre of Tasmania.

01:34It's been a long time coming, with some funding first promised way back in 2004,

01:38before political disagreements over scope and priorities meant it was essentially put on hold.

01:44But construction did finally start in 2022 and it's largely been finished on schedule.

01:50It's been a long time coming.

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