Almost a century on from the construction of a remarkable heritage-listed rail bridge over the Maribyrnong River Valley, a more modern equivalent will be built to help make Melbourne Airport Rail a reality.
Pre-qualified contractors are now being invited to submit Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for the Maribyrnong River Bridge Package, which will use an Incentivised Target Cost (ITC) procurement model – a collaborative form of the more traditional Design & Construct model.
With a length of around 550m (longer than a lap of the MCG) and an above-water height of around 50m, the new bridge will become the second-highest in Victoria by narrowly overtaking the existing bridge, second only to the West Gate Bridge at 58m.
The concept design of the new bridge proposes to use slender piers and wide pier spacings to minimise its visual impact, better preserving the structure, sight lines and history of the existing bridge which was built in the 1920s.
The design will also be considerate of the area’s cultural and environmental importance, minimising the overall impacts to the surrounding land.
More information about the Maribyrnong River Bridge Package can be found on the Buying for Victoria website.