Australia’s most anticipated 25-metre move was completed this week as the new Kilmany rail bridge was successfully slid into place as part of the Princes Highway Upgrade. The 32-hour move was completed with crews working around the clock to ensure the safe relocation of the bridge.
The new Kilmany rail bridge slide capped off a rare, but unique feat within Australian engineering with the 3200-tonne network-arch bridge moved into its new home on the Gippsland train line. The bridge was slid into place using a slide channel and hydraulic jacks on a sledge as the 3200-tonne structure made the journey at a maximum speed of 2.2 metres per hour.
The bridge was built offline adjacent to the rail line to allow train services to run as normal while construction crews built the bridge structure, minimising disruptions and allowing for the bridge to be moved, installed and the line reopened all within one short rail occupation.
Work will now start to dig underneath the bridge, where the Princes Highway will run under the rail line, making for easier road and rail journeys throughout Gippsland for residents, commuters and visitors alike.
The new rail-over-road bridge is part of the third and final stage of the Princes Highway East Upgrade and will replace the existing rail underpass that was built around 1965.
The Princes Highway East Upgrade will add 43 kilometres of new lanes to the Princes Highway between Traralgon and Sale. This is the third and final stage of the project, which will add an extra 12km of consistent 2 lane highway. The new lanes will bring immediate safety improvements for up to 15,000 motorists who use this stretch of road every day and improve journey times between Traralgon and Sale.
A range of other safety improvements will also be delivered including, wider shoulders and centre median with flexible safety barriers to improve safety by reducing the risk of run-off road and head-on crashes. This stretch of road is also a gateway to a range of Gippsland tourist destinations including the snowfields and Gippsland Lakes.
The Princes Highway East Upgrade is due to be completed in 2024.