The Church Street Bridge is an historic road arch bridge over the Yarra River and the Monash Freeway in Melbourne, designed by leading architects of the time, Harold Desbrowe-Annear and Thomas Ramsden-Ashworth. It was opened in 1923, having three reinforced concrete arches supported by piled foundations.
After many years of exposure to the elements, and sustained traffic loads, including from trams, extensive concrete rehabilitation was required to the concrete deck soffit and the substructure of the bridge along with associated drainage, electrical and support steelwork.
An additional requirement was that the bridge had to remain open to river, cycle, pedestrian and road traffic, including trams, during the course of the works.
Given the location and configuration of the bridge, providing safe access to the works was always going to be difficult.
With the assistance of specialist subcontractors, a complex access system was designed and installed which enabled all works to be completed safely and all unsound material removed from the bridge, to be fully contained.
Following the removal and subsequent reinstatement of defective concrete and steel reinforcement, an anti carbonation and decorative coating was applied to the bridge, thus extending it’s service life well into the future and restoring it’s heritage traditions.
