1 hall- I 0 JOURNAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MAIN ROADS, NEW SOUTH WALES MARCH, 1972 PRICE Thirty Cents VOLUME 37 NUMBER 3 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION Issued quarterly by the One Dollar Twenty Cents Commissioner for Main Roads Post Free R. J. S. Thomas Editors may use information “Pitch” is one of those fascinating, yet Additional copies of this Journal contained in this Journal, frustrating, words which are such a delight to etymologists and so confusing to migrants may be obiained from unless specially indicated trying to learn the English language. It has Department of Main Roads to the contrary, a wide range of meanings relating to such subjects as camping, cricket, golf, falconry, 309 Castlereagh Street provided the exact reference music, movement, shape a;d distance. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia thereto is quoted Pitch also refers to a black, tenacious, resinous substance” which is mentioned as far back a$ the Old Testament stories of Noah and Moses. Noah’s reliable ark was caulked “within and without with pitch” 66 STOCKTON BRIDGE-CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED (Genesis 6; 14), while Moses’ mother, before setting him adrift amid the bullrushes, 69 NEW WARNING SIGNS daubed his cradle with pitch (Exodus 2; 3). 69 REMOVAL OF LITTER FROM ROADS From these notable, nautical beginnings, pitch has progressed through a variety of 70 MODERN AlDS TO ROAD LOCATION forms and uses. It is less than 90 years since tar was first introduced to Sydney’s 76 NEW BRIDGE ON BRUXNER HIGHWAY AT TI-TREE CREEK rough macadam roads. Thus began, for road-builders, the long task of eliminating 78 QUEEN ELlZABETH DRIVE, MT KEIRA-Tourist Road No. 4042 the seasonal alternatives of either dusty or 79 THE SCENlC SOUTH COAST-from Mt Keira Lookout boggy conditions. The phrase “pitch and toss” can,refer to (colour photographs) a game, to the movements of a ship in rough 80 A LONG GRACEFUL LINK-Stockton Bridge (colour photographs) seas, or those of a restless sleeper. It might also be used to describe the old method of 81 MODERN AIDS TO ROAD LOCATION-(colour photographs) surfacing roads by spreading crushed stone onto hot tar using short-handled shovels 82 SYMBOL OF A CITY-Sydney Harbour Bridge (colour photographs) and accurate “tossing” actions. Today, highly mechanised methods are 83 SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE-The Story of Construction speeding up the Department’s bituminous 88 STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS 1970-71 surfacing programme. Sometimes, when looking at particular locations, the sealing 90 TRUNK ROAD NO. 80, HILLSTON-GOOLGOWI-Bituminous surfacing of road surfaces may still seem to be a slow process. However, the Department’s 91 BITUMINOUS SURFACING STATISTICS FOR 1970-71 responsibility covers a total of 27,060 miles throughout the State and, in 92 EXPRESSWAY NEWS-Waterfall-Bulli Pass Tollwork, South Western total, annual achievements add up to an Expressway and Western Expressway impressive figure. €or example, during 1970-71, an average of over 4.7 miles (i.e. 93 CABRAMATTA CROSSING COMPLETED over 10 lane miles) of bituminous surfacing was completed each working day by the 94 BRIEFLY . ABOUT BRIDGES-near Kempsey, Eden, Warren, Department, Councils and contractors (see Brisbane Water and Sydney University details on page 91). Throughout the State,, each victory in 95 SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE ACCOUNT 1970-71-Income and this “pitched battle” against dusty, muddy Expenditure and rutty roads brings both personal and commercial benefits to the community. 95 TENDERS ACCEPTED BY COUNCILS Completion of the sealing of the road between Hillston and Goolgowi (see page 90) 96 TENDERS ACCEPTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF MAIN ROADS has brought improved means of communi- cation to the people of Carrathool Shire. The completion of sealing of the Barrier Front Cover: New city expressway link fakes shape. View from above southern and Newell Highways in 1972-73 will be of opproach IO Sydney Harbour Bridge (looking south) showing construction inestimable value, to both local and inter- stale travellers, in saving time and reducing of first section of the Western Distributor. In the background Pyrmont vehicle wear. Bridge con be seen crossing Darling Harbour So, in its many bituminous surfacing projects the Department is “pitching in”- Back Cover: A selection of views of Stockton Bridge on opening day, 1st November, and this means “setting to work vigorously” 1971 (see article on page 66) -to provide safer and more comfortable driving conditions. This, in turn, encourages business and promotes tourism by making motoring a pleasure. MARCH, 1972 PAGE 65 GE pieted m-- - On 1st Novembcr, 1971, Stockton Bridge was officially opeied to traffic by the Hon. R. W. (now Sir Robert) Askin, M.L.A., Premier and Treasurer of New South Wales. Stockton Bridge crosses the North system on Kooragang Island and with the Deliartment by Dillingham Channel of the Hunter River and links the established main road on Stockton Constructions Pty Ltd. The cost of the Stockton Peninsula and Kooragang Peninsula. bridge and approaches was approximately Island, about 2+ miles upstream from the The deck of the bridge consists of two $6.5 million. vehicular ferry service which it replaced. carriageways, each 26 feet wide and each Thc prestressed and reinforced concrete carrying two lanes of traffic. A central bridge has 23 spans and an overall footway, 5 feet wide, has been provided length of 3.358 feet. The length over the between the two carriageways and main river channel is 1,670 feet. Stockton pedestrian access is available by a stair- Bridge is the longest bridge to be way through the superstructure near the completed by the Department of Main abutments. Roads and is the second longest road The Department’s staff prepared thc bridge in New South Wales. Sydney design for the bridge, with architectural Harbour Bridge (3,770 feet), which was advice being given by Mr D. MacLurcan built under the supervision of the of Messrs Fowell, Mansfield, Jarvis and Department of Public Works, is still the MacLurcan. longest in the State. Prior to calling tenders, the Department Stockton Bridge is a high-level structure constructed the piles for the approach with a navigational clearance of 100 feet spans to ground level. using its own vertical and 200 feet horizontal under the forces. By this means, a saving in the centre span. To achieve the required total project time was achieved. The vertical clearance, viaducts have bcen bridge construction, including the piles constructed on each side of thc river in the river channel, was carried out for channel and rise from 20 feet high abutments on a 6 per cent grade. These Aerial vi~wlooking west fiom above viaducts, 844 feet in length, consist of Stncl, ton Pcwinsirla, showing precmr 8 spans on each side of the river, and concrete girders (iit forrground) are curved to link with the new road anaitiirg erertiorr. (June 1970) PACE 66 MAIN ROADS .- KOORAGANG ISLAND \I Ahow: Crowds ur opiiii!~cwcrnoirv Rixht: The Premier, Sir Robert Askin, cntting the ribhon, with the Minisrer Jor HiRhways, the Hon. P. H. Morion, M.L.A., on the rixhl ond the Commissioner for Main Roads, Mr. R. J. S. Thomas, on the left. Reproduced by courtesy [if Newcostle Morning Herald. At 2.30 p.m. on Monday, 1st November, the specially printed blue ribbon and TH E 1971, the ceremony to mark the official declared the bridge open. OFFICIAL opening of the Stockton Bridge After unveiling a commemorative commenced in the presence of about plaque, Sir Robert Askin was driven OPENING 900 guests (including many State and over the bridge at the head of a small civic dignitaries) and members of the motorcade. public. As soon as the westbound carriageway Speaking from a small dais set up on was cleared for general traffic, more than the northwestern approach to the bridge, 100 cars, most of them carrying sight- Ald. D. G. McDougall, C.B.E., Lord seers, drove over from the Stockton side. Mayor of the City of Newcastle, welcomed The eastbound lanes were opened the Premier to the district. The Hon. approximately 15 minutes later, by which P. H. Morton, M.L.A., Minister for time about 500 cars were lined up for Highways invited the Premier to address 1+ miles on the Kooragang Island the gathering and following his address, approach to the bridge. Mr W. A. Wade, M.L.A., Member of After making its last crossing on the the State Electorate of Newcastle ex- Stockton-Newcastle run, the vehicular pressed thanks. ferry “Koondooloo” steamed north to pass underneath the bridge in a symbolic Sir Robert Askin, accompanied by sentimental farewell gesture on its final the official party, then left the dais, cut official voyage. MARCH. 1972 PAGE 67 The New Crossing- Where and Why of the Huriter River. Channels have been filled to form one land mass which Before the opening of Stockton Bridge, The growth of the City of Newcastle has been n;med Kooragang Island. In a vehicular ferry service operated across and the rapid urban, industrial and order to Iwovide access and assist Newcastle Harbour (Port Hunter) tourist development in the area continued industrial d :velopment on this island, between the City of Newcastle and to make the replacement of the ferries new crossinf:s of the Hunter River were Stockton. an urgent and necessary undertaking. proposed. I iitially, a new bridge over Although three large vessels were The annual cost of maintaining the the South Channel at Tourle Street, used on this service, there were frequent ferry service, in recent times, has been Mayfield was constructed and opened to delays during peak periods because of in the order of $800,000 so that the traffic on 21th February, 1965.