The Goodwill Bridge is a

pedestrian A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In modern times, the term usually refers to someone walking on a road or pavement, but this was not the case historically. The meaning of pedestrian is displayed with ...

and

cyclist Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from two ...

bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...

which spans the

Brisbane River The Brisbane River is the longest river in South East Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay on the Coral Sea. John Oxley, the first European to explore the river, named it after the Go ...

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. The bridge connects the

South Bank Parklands The South Bank Parklands are located at South Bank within the suburb of South Brisbane in Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list ...

South Brisbane South Brisbane is an inner southern suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , South Brisbane had a population of 7,196 people. Geography The suburb is on the southern bank of the Brisbane River, bounded to the north-west, ...

to Gardens Point in the

Brisbane CBD Brisbane City is the central suburb and central business district of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. It is colloquially referred to as the "Brisbane CBD" or "the city". It is located on a point on the northern bank of the ...

. The Goodwill Bridge was opened on 21 October 2001 and takes its name from the

Goodwill Games The Goodwill Games were an international sports competition created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s. In 1979, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan caused the United States and other ...

, which were held in Brisbane that year. The bridge does not carry any motorised traffic — it is shared by pedestrians, cyclists and

inline skaters Inline skates are a type of roller skate used for inline skating. Unlike quad skates, which have two front and two rear wheels, inline skates typically have two to five wheels arranged in a single line. Some, especially those for recreation, ha ...

Structure

Two main components of The Goodwill Bridge are the pavilion and the arch. The pavilion is located in the middle of the

between the arch and the city approach. It is a fundamental component of the pedestrian and cycle bridge and supports one end of the arch. The arch is in length, wide and high and weighs .

Specifications

* Width: * Height: Clearance for River Vessels from high water level to the bridge deck (same height as Victoria and Captain Cook bridges) * Arch: in length, wide and high * Bridge Deck: The bridge deck wearing surface is concrete with a broom finish to provide a safe foothold. It incorporates coloured concrete and applied finish bandings which signify areas where caution is required. * Security: Six closed circuit TV cameras are spread across the bridge and are monitored from the South Bank Security Control Room. * Architects: Cox Rayner * Design preparation:

Ove Arup Sir Ove Nyquist Arup, CBE, MICE, MIStructE, FCIOB (16 April 1895 – 5 February 1988) was an English engineer who founded Arup Group Limited, a multinational corporation that offers engineering, design, planning, project management, and ...

and Partners * Construction Company:

John Holland Group The John Holland Group is an infrastructure, building, rail and transport business operating in Australia and New Zealand. Headquartered in Melbourne, it is a subsidiary of China Communications Construction. History The company was founded in ...

*Project Manager: Jack Sullivan, AMTEC International Construction Services * Officially Opened: The

Premier of Queensland The premier of Queensland is the head of government in the Australian state of Queensland. By convention the premier is the leader of the party with a parliamentary majority in the unicameral Legislative Assembly of Queensland. The premier is ap ...

, The Honourable

Peter Beattie Peter Douglas Beattie (born 18 November 1952) is an Australian former politician who served as the 36th Premier of Queensland, in office from 1998 to 2007. He was the state leader of the Australian Labor Party (Queensland Branch), Labor Party ...

, officially opened The Goodwill Bridge on 21 October 2001. * Total length: * Bridge Foundations: The bridge's 45 foundation piles range in diameter from and are reinforced with 350-grade steel and of concrete. * Central Arch span: * Construction overseen by Mark Carney

History

The structure was built downstream at

Hemmant Hemmant is a suburb of the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Hemmant had a population of 2,385 people. Geography Hemmant is by road east of the Brisbane CBD. Hemmant is bounded by the Brisbane River to the north and Bulimba ...

and took three months to construct. On completion barges floated the arch upstream at low tide it was floated under the Captain Cook Bridge and then lifted as a single structure into its final resting position by two heavy lift towers. Four strategically positioned platforms and the pavilion-viewing platform provide rest points for pedestrians and cyclists. With exception of cables, all materials utilised in the construction of the arch and the pavilions were sourced from local suppliers. Controversy arose during the construction of the bridge over its growing cost, and a subsequent budgetary blow-out which resulted in the use of $20.3 million in government funds. The bridge was scheduled to be opened by

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

during her visit for the

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM; or) is a biennial summit meeting of the governmental leaders from all Commonwealth nations. Despite the name, the head of state may be present in the meeting instead of the head of go ...

summit A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. The topography, topographic terms acme, apex, peak (mountain peak), and zenith are synonymous. The term (mountain top) is generally used ...

to be held in Brisbane, but after the postponement of that meeting and change of venue to

Coolum Coolum Beach is a beachside town and coastal Suburbs and localities (Australia), suburb in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the suburb of Coolum Beach had a population of 8,497 people. Geography Coolum Beach has the ...

on the Sunshine Coast in the wake of the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001, the bridge was instead opened by

Queensland Premier The premier of Queensland is the head of government in the Australian state of Queensland. By convention the premier is the leader of the party with a parliamentary majority in the unicameral Legislative Assembly of Queensland. The premier is ap ...

Usage

Over 40,000 people walk or cycle across the bridge each week and it is clearly established as a major access point between South Bank and the city. Spanning the Brisbane River between the southern end of

and the CBD via the

Queensland University of Technology Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is a public research university located in the urban coastal city of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. QUT is located on two campuses in the Brisbane area viz. Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove. The univ ...

campus, the bridge provides a vital link for pedestrians and cyclists, especially since the closest train station to QUT is in South Bank. The bridge is also popular amongst those who like to maintain fitness, providing a link for a continuous run.

Traceurs Parkour () is an athletic training discipline or sport in which practitioners (called ''traceurs'') attempt to get from point A to point B in the fastest and most efficient way possible, without assisting equipment and often while performing a ...

also use the bridge not only to cross, but in strength training as a distance to travel in the Quadrupedel movement (which provides an arm and leg workout), and also refines coordination skills. The bridge innovatively includes several outspanning seating bays which allow for contemplation of the river and relaxation. The architectural design has received mixed reviews; many people see it as a work of art, while others consider it a monstrosity. This is likely due to its unconventional form; for instance, the bridge is entirely asymmetrical, and does not appear to follow any particular scheme with regards to placement of features. Between 2013 to 2022, a coffee cart was in operation. This cafe received a high level of through flow traff

Gallery

Image:Goodwill Bridge Goodwill Bridge IMG 6044 (3389510008).jpg Image:Goodwill Bridge The Goodwill Bridge IMG 4617 (4274223609).jpg Image:Goodwill Bridge Goodwill Bridge IMG 4658 (4284657730).jpg Image:Goodwill Bridge IMG 9524 (4827774203).jpg image:Goodwill Bridge Goodwill bridge IMG 9685 (4848697082).jpg

References

External links

* {{Brisbane landmarks Bridges in Brisbane Bridges completed in 2001 Bridges over the Brisbane River Through arch bridges Pedestrian bridges in Australia Steel bridges in Australia Cyclist bridges in Australia South Brisbane, Queensland Brisbane central business district History of Brisbane Philip Cox buildings 2001 establishments in Australia