The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district (CBD) and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic image of Sydney, and Australia. The bridge is nicknamed "The Coathanger" because of its arch-based design.
Under the directions of Dr J.J.C. Bradfield of the NSW Department of Public Works, the bridge was designed and built by British firm Dorman Long and Co Ltd of Middlesbrough and opened in 1932. The bridge's design was influenced by the Hell Gate Bridge in New York. It is also the sixth longest spanning-arch bridge in the world, and it is the tallest steel arch bridge, measuring from top to water level. It was also the world's widest long-span bridge, at wide, until construction of the new Port Mann Bridge in Vancouver.
Structure
The southern bridge end is located at Millers Point in The Rocks area, and the northern end at Milsons Point in the lower North Shore area. It carries the original six lanes of road traffic on its main roadway, plus two additional lanes of road trafffic on its eastern side . The eastern path is a pedestrian footpath, and the western path is for bicycle use only. Finally, the two western lanes on the road deck are railway tracks, included in the original design.
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