Bennelong Bridge
Australia’s largest piece of privately funded infrastructure
Challenge
The Bennelong Bridge was first proposed by the local community in 2002, as a dedicated pedestrian and bike bridge. Now also servicing public transport, the design challenge was to create a safe, protected bridge that was integrated with its local landscape.
Insight
Funded in conjunction with partners from the Wentworth Point Landowners Alliance Group, the bridge is the largest piece of privately funded public infrastructure in Australia and significantly, was built without any costs to local governments. Named after local Indigenous leader Woollarawarre Bennelong, the bridge honours his contribution to early European-Indigenous relations in the late 1700s.
Solution
Bennelong Bridge embodies the fundamental principles of social benefit and ecological sustainability. The bridge incorporates clear wayfinding for all users, and offers protection from the elements. Pedestrian and cyclist routes are separated from buses, and bridge access is intuitively clear for all users. Stretching over 300 metres across Homebush Bay, the bridge links the rapidly growing suburbs of Rhodes and Wentworth Point and reduces the travel distance between the two suburbs from around 8km to less than 500 metres.
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300Meters in Length
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$63Million
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2016Completion date
Collaborators
Wentworth Point landowners, headed by Billbergia Group, Sekisui House, Homebush Bay Holdings and Homebush Bay Properties
Success measure
$63 million
Design inspiration
Design inspiration
The Bridge’s design principles were social benefit and ecological sustainability, while physically connecting two communities.
Details
Details
$63 million 10 years planning 330metres in length, 13 metres wides and includes 2 bus-traffic lanes and a shared pedestrian cycle path, and is the only structure crossing Sydney Harbour prohibiting vehicles including private cars. The Bridge will service thousands of pedestrians and cyclists each day by linking 45-50km of walking and cycle tracks in the region.
What end-users say
What end-users say
“It’s wonderful for us,” said Barbara Browning, who moved into Wentworth Point in 2014. Canada Bay mayor Angelo Tsirekas “the bridge is a vital piece of infrastructure for the community... Bennelong Bridge, which is entirely privately funded, is a great example of how business and government can collaborate to deliver public infrastructure at no cost to the taxpayer and bring enormous benefit to local communities.”
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