Kings Bridge

This bridge was recommended by the Public Works committee to take the through traffic from St Kilda and Port Melbourne away from the centre of Melbourne. It was built in 1960, using welded steel plate girders acting compositely with a reinforced concrete deck. It suffered a fracture in one of the steel plate girders soon after it was opened on 12th April 1961 and had to be closed for repairs. The superstructure was strengthened by stressed cables to remove tensile forces from the critical welds. The bridge carries 80,000 vehicles a day.

Concern over the bridge was again expressed in 2007 when inspections revealed the bridge was sinking and cracking, and in immediate need of repair. A report commissioned by VicRoads on the state of Kings Bridge found its southern end had dropped 30cm. The main part of the bridge was built on bored piles, which are supporting structures drilled into the ground. But the southern ramps, where the problems had arisen, were built on old swamp land filled from the late 1800s.

Retaining walls had badly cracked and concrete may loosen and fall. Road surfaces on the southern ramps needed regular resurfacing because asphalt was falling through cracks. Supports to tram electric wire poles had been badly cracked and needed immediate attention. Safety barriers had shifted around due to the bridge sinking and light poles attached to the bridge had tilted. Repairs to make the bridge safe were subsequently made.

As originally constructed the bridge had 8 lanes across the Yarra River - 2 through lanes in each direction connecting King Street to Kingsway, in addition to 2 lanes on each side that connected to Yarra Bank Road. At the south end north facing on and off ramps connected to Whiteman Street, and the running lanes from the viaduct descend to ground level, with tram route 55 emerging from City Road to the median strip. In later years the development of Crown Casino closed Yarra Bank Road, and the bridge ramps were connected to the basement carpark of the complex. Kings Bridge (1960), King Street, Melbourne (Yarra River).