As a part of the third and final stage of the Princes Highway East Upgrade, we built a new rail-over-road bridge at Kilmany, replacing the existing rail underpass that was built around 1965.
The new rail bridge was built offline in a paddock beside the rail easement to ensure minimal impacts on the rail network, allowing train services to run as normal while the construction team assembled the bridge nearby.
After weeks of construction, the new 95-metre steel arch bridge was moved 27 metres into its new home on the Gippsland rail line, with trains crossing the spectacular, 3200-tonne rail bridge for the first time on Tuesday 25 July 2023.
You can see the new bridge in action below.
The design
The new bridge is 95m long, single-span, steel-arch bridge. Arch bridges are one of the oldest types of bridges and are known for their great natural strength.
The bridge at Kilmany is a “network tied-arch” bridge, comprising a steel arch either side of the railway track, a concrete bridge deck and a network of high-strength steel “hangers” that cross over each other, tying the steel arches firmly to the deck.
This type of bridge allows one long span without a central supporting pier. It is strong, simple and economical to build, and integrates easily into the local landscape.
The striking new design was developed in consultation with the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP), V/Line and the local community and will provide a significant improvement to safety and reliability for freight, tourists and commuters.
Involving local suppliers
We focused on maximising opportunities for local businesses on the project. Concrete, reinforcing steel, stress bars, post tension bars and tendons and a range of other materials and bridge components were sourced from Victorian companies, and more than 90% of the steel used in the construction of the bridge was produced in Australia.
Steel for bridge hangers (which join the arches to the main deck) was sourced from a specialist manufacturer in Europe – 1 of the only manufacturers in the world capable of meeting the strict fatigue requirements for bridge hangers.