William Jolly Bridge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Jolly
Coordinates	27°28′06″S 153°00′56″E / 27.46845°S 153.015491°E / -27.46845; 153.015491
Carries	4 lanes of vehicular traffic, two pedestrian paths
Crosses	Brisbane River
Locale	Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Official name	William Jolly Bridge
Characteristics
Design	Steel frame arch bridge
Total length	500m
Longest span	Three main arches of 72m each
History
Construction cost	£688,387
Opened	30 March 1932

The William Jolly Bridge is a historic road bridge in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It crosses the Brisbane River, connecting North Quay in the city centre with Grey Street in South Brisbane.

The bridge was designed by A E Harding Frew and built by M R Hornibrook Ltd. Construction took place from 1928 to 1932. Its design follows the Art Deco style, which was very popular at that time. The bridge has two main supports (piers) in the river and two towers (pylons) on the river banks. These support three elegant arches. The design was quite new for Australia. It uses a steel frame covered with concrete, made to look like light-coloured stone.

When it first opened during the Great Depression, the bridge was simply called the Grey Street Bridge. It was later renamed the William Jolly Bridge on 5 July 1955. This was to honour William Jolly, who was the first Lord Mayor of Greater Brisbane. The bridge was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 6 August 1996, recognising its special importance.

Building Brisbane's Bridges

Why a New Bridge Was Needed

The William Jolly Bridge was built between 1928 and 1932. This was soon after the new Greater Brisbane council was formed in 1925. Building this bridge was one of the first big projects for the new council.

Before this bridge, the only main traffic bridge connecting the city centre to South Brisbane was the Victoria Bridge. This bridge was built in 1897. Traffic was growing fast, and the Victoria Bridge was getting very crowded. The new Grey Street Bridge was planned to help ease this traffic. It would allow cars to bypass the busy city centre.

A Place of Crossing

The area where the William Jolly Bridge stands has always been a crossing point. Long ago, Aboriginal tribes used a sandy beach here to cross the river. Later, Europeans used a ferry at North Quay. From the 1930s, people crossed using the William Jolly Bridge.

The land on the south bank, called Kurilpa by Aboriginal people, was important. It means "place of rats" because of the many bush rats there. This area was first used by Europeans in 1825 for growing crops. Later, it became a busy area for trade and transport.

Early River Crossings

Brisbane's first ferry for people and carriages started around 1842. This was the main way to cross the river for over 30 years. There was a temporary timber bridge from 1865 to 1867, but it was quickly destroyed by worms in the water.

The Victoria Bridge opened in 1874. It was a very important link between the north and south sides of the river. This helped the south bank grow even more.

South Brisbane's Growth

In the 1880s, South Brisbane grew rapidly. A dry dock was built in 1881, and coal wharves opened around 1885. The South Brisbane railway station became a major train stop. Many industries and businesses moved to the area. Stanley Street became a busy shopping area.

However, the 1890s brought tough times. There were economic problems and big floods in 1893. The Victoria Bridge collapsed in the 1893 flood. This meant Brisbane was split into two parts again. It showed how much the city needed strong river crossings.

Planning the Grey Street Bridge

By 1925, traffic on the Victoria Bridge had increased by 76%. It was clear that another bridge was urgently needed. The new Greater Brisbane Council decided to get experts to study the best places for new river crossings.

Alison Eavis Harding Frew, a well-known engineer, was chosen to design the bridge in 1926. He faced a big challenge: the rock under the riverbed was very deep. This made building the foundations difficult and expensive.

Harding Frew looked at five different bridge designs. He wanted a bridge that was not only useful but also beautiful. He was inspired by the "Rainbow Arch Bridge" in St Paul, Minnesota, USA. The William Jolly Bridge's design, with its three main arches rising through the deck, is quite unique.

The council chose Harding Frew's design. The total cost was estimated at £700,000. M R Hornibrook Ltd won the contract to build the bridge for £384,850. Work began in August 1928.

Building Challenges and Innovations

Building the bridge was not easy. The deep rock under the river was a major problem for the foundations. The original plan for timber piles had to be changed. Instead, large, hollow concrete cylinders called caissons were used.

Manuel Hornibrook, the builder, invented a special method called the "Sand Island" method. This involved building artificial islands of sand within a ring of metal sheets in the river. This allowed the caissons to be sunk accurately onto the rock below. Workers had to go into the caissons under high pressure, using an air-lock system. This was a major engineering achievement for its time.

The steel parts of the bridge were made in Rocklea, Brisbane. In 1931, a big flood swept away some timber supports, but luckily the steel structure stayed in place.

The steelwork was covered with a special type of concrete called Gunite. This concrete is sprayed on. It was a new method in Australia at the time. The concrete not only covered the steel but also helped carry the weight of the bridge.

The decorative concrete railings (balustrades) were made by Hume Pipe Co Ltd. The unique "grotesques" (decorative carvings) on the bridge were designed by Karma Eklund.

Opening and Legacy

The Grey Street Bridge officially opened on 30 March 1932. The Governor of Queensland, Sir John Goodwin, opened it. A large crowd gathered for the event. This was just eleven days after the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge opened.

The bridge was a symbol of progress during the Great Depression. Many people were interested in big public works like this. However, within ten years, the even larger Story Bridge was built, which became more famous.

The William Jolly Bridge was designed to reduce traffic on the Victoria Bridge. By 1939, it was already carrying 45% of the cross-river traffic. It was doing even more than expected!

Renaming the Bridge

On 5 July 1955, the bridge was renamed the William Jolly Bridge. This was in honour of William Jolly, Brisbane's first Lord Mayor. He had been key in getting the bridge built. The Greater Brisbane Council, under Jolly, started many big projects. These included the new Brisbane City Hall, Anzac Square, and improvements to public transport.

The bridge's original lights were round glass fittings. These were replaced in 1964. In 1974, the bridge was painted cream, to match the colour of new concrete. Floodlights were also added that year.

Bridge Design and Features

The William Jolly Bridge has four lanes for cars and paths for people and cyclists on each side. It connects Grey Street in South Brisbane to Roma Street in the city centre.

The bridge has three large arches over the river. It also has a long ramp section on the southern side, made of 16 smaller spans. This ramp curves towards Grey Street. The original smaller arches on the northern side have been replaced with new concrete sections over Coronation Drive.

The bridge is made of steel covered in concrete. The arches rise up through the road deck. The road is partly held up by hangers from these arches. The concrete covering is not just for looks; it's part of the bridge's strength. It also has decorative patterns that look like large stone blocks.

Other decorations include carved faces (grotesques) on some railings. There are also flower-like designs on the four tower-like structures at each end of the main bridge section. These towers were originally meant to hold overhead cables for a planned tramway, but the tram lines were never installed.

The bridge has concrete railings. You can see openings under the road that were meant for a large water pipe, but it was never put in. There are also stairs for pedestrians at both ends of the bridge.

How the Bridge Handles Traffic

The William Jolly Bridge is used by cars, pedestrians, and cyclists. It was designed to have tram lines, and you can still see the anchor points for the tram cables on top of the arches.

Traffic Flow and Congestion

The bridge has two lanes for traffic in each direction and a footpath on each side.

While it helped reduce traffic on the Victoria Bridge, the William Jolly Bridge created new traffic problems. It made the Normanby Fiveways intersection very busy and dangerous.

By 2006, about 42,000 vehicles crossed the bridge every weekday. During busy times, both ends of the bridge would get very congested. The Go Between Bridge, which opened in 2010, was built to help with this congestion. However, it hasn't been used as much as expected, possibly because it's a toll bridge, while the William Jolly Bridge is free.

Why the Bridge is Important

The William Jolly Bridge is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it meets several important criteria:

• It shows how Queensland's history developed. The bridge was a major project for the new Greater Brisbane Council. It symbolised the city's growth and was named after its first Mayor, William Jolly. The bridge's location has been a crossing point for a very long time, from Aboriginal times to European settlement. It was Brisbane's second major traffic bridge and helped South Brisbane grow.

• It has rare or unusual features. The bridge's design, with its three main arches rising through the deck, is very unique and gives it a special look.

• It is beautiful. The bridge was designed to show Brisbane's importance and pride. Its concrete-covered steel gives it a strong, monument-like feel, with decorative carvings and patterns.

• It shows great technical skill. The William Jolly Bridge is a great example of engineering. It used new techniques like Gunite (sprayed concrete) and the "Sand Island" method for its foundations.

• It is linked to important people and groups. The bridge was designed by AE Harding Frew, a famous Brisbane engineer. It was also a big project for Queensland companies like Evans Deakin and Co and M R Hornibrook Ltd.

Images for kids

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  Aerial view of the Grey Street Bridge during construction, 1931

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  Construction of the William Jolly Bridge, Brisbane, c. 1931

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  Governor John Goodwin speaking at the opening of the bridge, 1932

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  Crowds gathered for the opening of the bridge, 1932

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  William Alfred Jolly, after whom the bridge was named in 1955

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  Light show on the bridge, depicting the mayoral regalia, 2010

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  Viaducts on the southern side ramping down towards Grey Street, 2014

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  Oversized coursing on the bridge with a contemporary Indigenous mural, 2014

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  Northern approach to the bridge, the top of the stairs down to North Quay is visible to the left, circa 1932