The Eleanor Schonell Bridge spans 390 metres across the Brisbane River with two twin-colomn 70 metre high towers supporting it. Other measurements are:
- bridge deck is 20 metres wide, 1.5 metres deep and 185 metres long
- bridge deck is about 11 metres above the Brisbane River's high tide level
The bridge has been designed to withstand several scenarios, including earthquakes, flood impact and special event pedestrian-loading.
Benefits of the Eleanor Schonell Bridge
Providing a bus, pedestrian and cycle link between Dutton Park and The University of Queensland (UQ) will provide:
- improved access to UQ’s St Lucia campus
- enhance public transport services by providing a faster, more direct connection between UQ and the City, Upper Mount Gravatt and Carindale
- encourage cycling and walking and other green modes of transport
- reduce congestion on St Lucia streets
- reduce the need for UQ bound traffic to go through the city and along Coronation Drive
Project timeline
| Date |
Project Details |
|
Early 2007
|
Bus routes over the bridge in full use
|
|
December 2006
|
Official opening on 17 December 2006
Bus driver orientation and testing
Completion of final works
|
|
August 2006
|
Cable stay structure approaches completion
|
|
July 2006
|
Shortlist of suggested names for the Green Bridge announced
|
|
March 2005
|
Construction begins
|
|
February 2005
|
Council awards contract to John Holland
|
|
November 2004
|
Tender evaluation and identification of preferred tenderer
|
|
October 2004
|
Tenders close 27 October 2004
|
|
August 2004
|
Request for tender process resumes
|
|
July 2004
|
Consultation results released
Decision made to restart tender process for bus, pedestrian and cycle bridge
|
|
June 2004
|
Consultation closes on 25 June 2004
|
|
May 2004
|
Consultation resumes. Citywide brochure and random telephone survey invites Brisbane residents to tell Council which bridge option they think should be built
|
|
April 2004
|
Tender suspended at 50% complete
Decision made to revisit consultation
|
|
December 2003
|
Three consortia short-listed to tender
|
|
November 2003
|
Expressions of interest called from industry
|
|
October 2003
|
Full Council makes unanimous decision to accept Green Bridge Link IAS and business case. Received approval on 28 October 2003 to proceed to tender
|
|
November 2002
|
Consultation on draft IAS
|
Bridge features
The Eleanor Schonell Bridge has several environmental and cultural features including:
- bio-rentention ponds that capture and filter water runoff from the bridge deck
- interactive touch screens featuring bridge information
- a solar roof at the Dutton Park Kiss and Ride that is used to power digital signage and lighting on the bridge
- poetry by Brisbane-born writers, Samuel Wagan Watson and Luke Beesley is permanently etched into the railings and concrete of the pedestrian pathway
Naming the bridge
The ‘Green Bridge’ lost its working title and was given its official name, the Eleanor Schonell Bridge, on 17 December 2006.
An evaluation panel determined a short list of six names selected from hundreds of community suggestions and presented their final recommendations to Council. The final three names considered were the Eleanor Schonell Bridge, Hawken Bridge and University Bridge.
Dr Eleanor Schonell made an internationally recognised contribution to testing for dyslexia. Dr Schonell and her husband, Sir Fred Schonell produced standardised ways to test children's academic attainment. The tests, known worldwide as The Schonell Reading and Spelling Tests, have become the benchmark for measuring a child’s literacy ability and are still used today.
She also contributed substantially to the education of children with intellectual disabilities and cerebral palsy.
Facts and figures
| Length of bridge deck |
516 metres |
| Height of the towers |
70 metres |
| Total length of cable stays |
58 kilometres |
| Length of foothpaths (off bridge) |
1570 metres |
| Structural steel in the bridge |
870 tonnes |
| Steel reinforcement used |
1800 tonnes |
| Roadway area |
7715 m2 |
| Concrete in the bridge |
9600 m3 |
| Turfed area |
23,750 m2 |
| New plants |
39,000 |
| Man hours worked |
285,000 |
| Deck level above water |
11.5 metres at high tide |
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