# Birkenhead Bridge

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Bridge in Lefevre Peninsula

Birkenhead Bridge Birkenhead Bridge in February 2010 Coordinates 34°50′32″S 138°30′03″E / 34.84230°S 138.50093°E / -34.84230; 138.50093 Carries Nelson Street Crosses Port River Locale Lefevre Peninsula Owner Department for Infrastructure & Transport Preceded by Tom 'Diver' Derrick Bridge Followed by Jervois Bridge Characteristics Design Bascule Total length 246 metres Width 16 metres Clearance above 5.4 metres No. of lanes 4 (as built) 2 (since 2014) History Constructed by Adelaide Construction Fabrication by Perry Engineering Opened 14 December 1940 Location Interactive map of Birkenhead Bridge

The **Birkenhead Bridge** is a [bascule bridge](/source/Bascule_bridge) in [Adelaide](/source/Adelaide), Australia that crosses the [Port River](/source/Port_River).

In February 1938, the [Government of South Australia](/source/Government_of_South_Australia) awarded a contract to Adelaide Construction to build a bridge across the Port River from [Birkenhead](/source/Birkenhead%2C_South_Australia) to [Port Adelaide](/source/Port_Adelaide), with [Perry Engineering](/source/Perry_Engineering) contracted to supply the steelwork.[1] The bridge was opened on 14 December 1940 by [Governor](/source/Governor_of_South_Australia) [Malcolm Barclay-Harvey](/source/Malcolm_Barclay-Harvey).[2][3] It was one of only four bascule bridges in the world adapted for use by [trolleybuses](/source/Trolleybus).[4][5]

In 2014, two of the four road lanes were converted into pedestrian and bike paths.[6] In 2020, the timber road deck was replaced with [fibre reinforced polymer](/source/Fibre-reinforced_plastic) and the timber footpath with aluminium.[7][8]

The bridge is listed on the [South Australian Heritage Register](/source/South_Australian_Heritage_Register).[9]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Bridge over river at Adelaide](https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11146956) *[The Argus](/source/The_Argus_(Melbourne))* 8 February 1938 page 2

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Birkenhead Bridge Opened](https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/41910877) *[The Advertiser](/source/The_Advertiser_(Adelaide))* 16 December 1940 page 16

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Birkenhead Bridge](https://web.archive.org/web/20190401222148/http://sahistoryhub.com.au/things/birkenhead-bridge) SA History Hub

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Trolleybuses Trundle over Birkenhead Bascule Bridge *[Among Ourselves](/source/Among_Ourselves)* issue 87 August 1960

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Old bascule bridge gets new lease on life *[Engineers Australia](/source/Engineers_Australia_(periodical))* 4 September 1987 page 9

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Port Adelaide's Birkenhead Bridge still moving more than 16,000 vehicles daily in 75th anniversary year](https://web.archive.org/web/20160330105359/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-22/birkenhead-bridge-celebrates-75-years-in-port-adelaide/6794232) *[ABC Radio Adelaide](/source/ABC_Radio_Adelaide)* 22 September 2015

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [Birkenhead Bridge Upgrade Works Project](https://web.archive.org/web/20200226012656/https://dpti.sa.gov.au/infrastructure/road_projects/Birkenhead_Bridge_Upgrade_Works_Project) [Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure](/source/Department_of_Planning%2C_Transport_%26_Infrastructure)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [Birkenhead Bridge Deck Replacement](https://web.archive.org/web/20241009021645/https://mcmservices.com.au/projects/birkenhead-bridge-deck-replacement/) [McMahon Services](/source/McMahon_Services)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [Birkenhead Bridge](https://web.archive.org/web/20200405205847/http://maps.sa.gov.au/heritagesearch/HeritageItem.aspx?p_heritageno=2949) South Australia Heritage Places

## External links

Media related to [Birkenhead Bridge](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Birkenhead_Bridge) at Wikimedia Commons

v t e Port Adelaide landmarks Buildings and structures Birkenhead Bridge Fishermen's Wharf Market Hart's Mill Jervois Bridge Mary MacKillop Bridge Port Adelaide Lighthouse Port Adelaide Workers Memorial Tom 'Diver' Derrick Bridge Cultural institutions National Railway Museum South Australian Aviation Museum South Australian Maritime Museum Torrens Island Concentration Camp Beaches and islands Garden Island Port River Semaphore Torrens Island Sport Alberton Oval / Port Adelaide Football Club Ships and vessels City of Adelaide Falie Fearless MV Nelcebee One and All Yelta Pubs and hotels Birkenhead Riverview Tavern (1877) The British Hotel (1847) Dockside Tavern (1850) First Commercial Inn (1841) Newmarket Hotel (1879) Port Admiral Hotel (1849) Port Anchor Hotel (1873) Port Dock Brewery Hotel (1855) Railway Hotel (1856) Royal Arms Hotel (1878) The Lighthouse Hotel (1857) Largs Pier Hotel (1882) Glanville Hotel (1865) Lord Exmouth Hotel (1859)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Birkenhead Bridge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birkenhead_Bridge) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birkenhead_Bridge?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.