The client for the bridge was The Road and Traffic Authority of NSW (RTA). Peter Wellings was the RTA's on-site project engineer. Leighton Contractors built the protective embankments and placed the pylons for the two towers in 1989.
Baulderstone Hornibrook Engineering Pty Ltd was the major contractor for the bridge. Their project director was Sandy Buchan and Hugh Bishop the engineering manager.
Austress Freyssinet Pty Ltd was the sub contractor responsible for the cable stays and other specialist engineering technologies.
Eastern Tower
The bridge deck is constructed in 10 metre concrete segments. The first three segments were initially supported by scaffolding. When tower construction was completed, the first stay cables were installed.
The cables connect to the deck segment at its furthest edge from the tower.
The formtraveller - western deck
Construction over the water used a recent innovation - the formtraveller. Supported by the leading edge cables of the previous segment, it provided support for the next concrete segment to be cast.
The formtraveller was of substantial construction being 30m long and 32m wide, and weighing 280 tonnes.8.
Eastern Tower
The formtraveller on the western deck with the eastern tower in the background.
After the western half of the water span was completed the formtraveller was lowered onto a barge using Austress Freyssinet's L180 heavy lift system.
The rising tide was used to gradually take up the weight of the formtraveller before it was moved across to the eastern tower to start work there.8.
Deck segments weigh in the order of 460 tonnes. As a deck segment is cast on one side of the tower it must be balanced by one on the other side. The land side segments were cast first.
The western end. Seven deck segments each side.
Approach span on the western end
The approach deck is supported by concrete box girders which were cast in situ.