Abbotsford Bridge, Vertical-lift steel bridge in Curlwaa, Australia
Abbotsford Bridge is a vertical-lift steel structure spanning the Murray River, with a movable center section that can raise to allow river traffic to pass through. The bridge uses a mechanical lifting system to raise and lower its central span as needed.
The bridge was completed in 1928 by the New South Wales Public Works and was initially designed to support a railway extension across the river. The railway line never extended beyond Yelta, leaving the bridge to serve road traffic instead.
The bridge stands as the sole remaining steel truss structure with a lift span crossing the Murray River, representing early 20th-century Australian engineering.
Traffic lights control the single-lane crossing, so drivers must wait when vehicles approach from the opposite direction. The narrow passage means you should approach carefully and be ready to stop if needed.
The bridge incorporates the Allan truss design, a distinctive Australian engineering approach developed during that era. This method represents early experimentation with lift mechanisms in the nation's bridge construction.
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