'Intolerable': When $768m bridge was being designed, engineers raised a red flag
Concerns have been raised regarding the structural integrity of the Bridgewater Bridge in Hobart, particularly about its foundation design. An advisory team of engineers expressed dissatisfaction with the builder's work, citing potential risks that could affect the bridge's performance. Despite these concerns, the state government maintains that the bridge is safe and compliant with standards.
- ▪Engineers raised concerns about the foundation design of the Bridgewater Bridge, which was completed in 2025.
- ▪The builder disputed the advisory team's findings, leading to a standstill in discussions.
- ▪One engineer described the risks associated with the design as 'intolerable' and warned of potential future traffic management needs.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Bridgewater Bridge engineer warns of foundation issues that builder disputed during designMBy Madeleine RojahnStatelineTopic:InfrastructureTue 26 May 2026 at 5:15amTue 26 May 2026 at 5:15amTue 26 May 2026 at 5:15amA pier of the Bridgewater Bridge with two attached survey markers, which are used to monitor for unanticipated movement. (Supplied)In short: An advisory team of engineers raised concerns about the design of the Bridgewater Bridge, with documents showing that they remained unsatisfied with the builder up until 2024, when the team was reportedly stood down.The ABC reported in February on a crack in one of the piers of the now-complete bridge, prompting one of the engineers involved in the project to share their wider concerns that work done on the bridge's foundations did not meet…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at ABC News (Australia).