Bolte Bridge, Cantilever road bridge in Docklands, Australia
Bolte Bridge is a road crossing in Docklands, Melbourne, that extends across the Yarra River and Victoria Harbour, providing eight traffic lanes linking the Tullamarine Freeway to the West Gate Freeway. Beside the roadway stand two concrete towers reaching a combined height of 140 meters, visible from a distance as prominent markers along the harbor precinct.
Planning for this crossing began in the early 1990s to ease congestion between Melbourne's northern and western suburbs. Construction started in 1996 following designs by the architectural firm Denton Corker Marshall and opened to public traffic in August 1999.
The bridge honors Sir Henry Bolte, Premier of Victoria, who held office longer than any of his predecessors or successors. His tenure shaped the state's politics over several decades and his name became linked to this structure as a reminder of his role in modernizing infrastructure.
The crossing remains open to traffic around the clock and requires a toll fee collected electronically. Drivers can speed up their passage by registering their vehicle in advance for the electronic tolling system.
The two tall towers beside the roadway carry no load from the bridge structure and serve solely to shape the skyline. Their form was developed to create a visual link between the harbor district and the rest of the city without fulfilling any technical function for the actual crossing.
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