# Holt-Bragg Bridge

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Road bridge in New South Wales, Australia

Holt-Bragg Bridge Coordinates 33°25′08″S 151°17′10″E / 33.419°S 151.286°E / -33.419; 151.286 Carries Old Pacific Highway Crosses Piles Creek Locale Somersby, New South Wales, Australia Named for Adam Holt Roslyn Bragg Madison Holt Jasmine Holt Travis Bragg Maintained by Central Coast Council Characteristics Design Arch bridge History Constructed by Roads & Traffic Authority Construction cost $1.9 million Opened 30 June 2009 (2009-06-30) Replaces Concrete culvert 1986-2007 Location Interactive map of Holt-Bragg Bridge References [1][2]

The **Holt-Bragg Bridge** is an [arch](/source/Arch_bridge) [road bridge](/source/Road_bridge) that carries the [Old Pacific Highway](/source/Pacific_Highway%2C_Australia) (B83) across Piles Creek at [Somersby](/source/Somersby%2C_New_South_Wales) on the [Central Coast, New South Wales](/source/Central_Coast%2C_New_South_Wales), Australia. It was opened on 30 June 2009 as a replacement for the previous bridge that collapsed [two years earlier during severe weather](/source/2007_New_South_Wales_storms). The bridge is named in honour of the five people who perished when the bridge collapsed.[1]

The Pacific Highway is the main road link from [Sydney](/source/Sydney) to [Brisbane](/source/Brisbane) and travels alongside the coast. The section from [Cowan](/source/Cowan%2C_New_South_Wales) to [Kariong](/source/Kariong), where the Holt-Bragg Bridge is, follows a scenic winding route, however, with the majority of traffic using the [Pacific Motorway](/source/Pacific_Motorway_(Sydney-Newcastle)).[3] The original bridge was built around 1986, during the construction of the [Calga](/source/Calga) to Somersby section of the Pacific Motorway. It was a concrete culvert bridge.

## Culvert collapse

On 8 June 2007 the Central Coast was battered by [strong winds](/source/Wind) and [torrential rain](/source/Rain) caused by an [intense low pressure system](/source/Low-pressure_area) a short distance out to sea.[4] The damage as a result of these storms resulted in them being declared a [natural disaster](/source/Natural_disaster). At approximately 4pm the road above Piles Creek gave way, leaving a 5-metre-wide (16 ft) by 10-metre-deep (33 ft) fissure.[5] The collapse of the road was not visible to motorists travelling and as a result the car fell into the creek. Holt, along with his wife Roslyn Bragg, their daughters Madison and Jasmine and nephew Travis Bragg were all killed.[6]

A [coroner's inquest](/source/Coroner's_Court_of_New_South_Wales) was established to discover the cause of deaths. It found that the failure of the [Roads & Traffic Authority](/source/Roads_%26_Traffic_Authority) (RTA) and [Gosford City Council](/source/City_of_Gosford) to take action or initiative to fix problems with the bridge led to the collapse.[7][8]

Adam Holt was found by the coroner as being a hero. Only concerned with the welfare of his wife and children. He could have been saved, but told rescuers to help his wife and children.

The bridge was first identified as being in need of maintenance in 1984 when an RTA scientific officer had drawn attention to the [corrosion](/source/Corrosion) of [galvanised iron](/source/Galvanization) pipes used in the [culvert](/source/Culvert). In 1995, responsibility for the road was transferred from the RTA to Gosford City Council; however, the problems with the section were not identified to council [engineers](/source/Engineer). In April 2000 the bridge slumped, however nothing was done to alleviate the problem until 2002 when the council requested an estimation for a major reconstruction of the culvert.[9] In 2004, pavement repairs triggered a request by the council to ask for quotes for concrete lining of the culvert with [tenders](/source/Call_for_bids) called. However, the information was not entered into the record system and no follow up action was taken.[6]

## Current bridge

To replace the collapsed culvert, a replacement bridge was constructed by the RTA and opened on 30 June 2009, at a cost of $1.9 million. Responsibility for maintenance of the bridge is with the [Central Coast Council](/source/Central_Coast_Council_(New_South_Wales)) (formerly the Gosford City Council) since its opening. The RTA named the bridge the Holt-Bragg Bridge in memory of the deceased. Two [bronze](/source/Bronze) [commemorative plaques](/source/Commemorative_plaque) are located at either end of the bridge on Somersby sandstone.[1][2]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CCEA04062009_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CCEA04062009_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-CCEA04062009_1-2) Barnes, Denice (4 June 2009). ["New bridge to open two years after highway collapse killed five"](http://express-advocate-gosford.whereilive.com.au/news/story/new-bridge-to-open-two-years-after-highway-collapse-killed-five/). *Central Coast Express Advocate*. Retrieved 7 June 2009.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-NH06062009_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-NH06062009_2-1) Mccarthy, Joanne (6 June 2009). ["Bridge name to honour Pasha Bulker storm victims"](https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/496907/bridge-name-to-honour-pasha-bulker-storm-victims/). *[Newcastle Herald](/source/Newcastle_Herald)*. Retrieved 7 June 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ORSR83_3-0)** ["Ozroads: NSW State Route 83"](http://www.ozroads.com.au/NSW/RouteNumbering/State%20Routes/83/sr83.htm). *Ozroads*. Retrieved 17 November 2015.[*[self-published source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability#Self-published_sources)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-BOMQB07_4-0)** ["The Queen's Birthday East Coast Low: 8–9 June 2007"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090601210427/http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/nsw/sevwx/facts/events/june-07-ecl/e1-8-9jun.shtml). *[Bureau of Meteorology](/source/Bureau_of_Meteorology)*. Australia. Archived from [the original](http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/nsw/sevwx/facts/events/june-07-ecl/e1-8-9jun.shtml) on 1 June 2009. Retrieved 7 June 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-TA09062007_5-0)** Marcus, Caroline; Dasey, Daniel; Gilmore, Heath (10 June 2007). ["Rescuers find bodies of family in road collapse"](http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/rescuers-find-bodies-of-family-in-road-collapse/2007/06/09/1181089398452.html). *[The Age](/source/The_Age)*. Retrieved 7 June 2009.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CCEA16032009_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CCEA16032009_6-1) Collins, Terry (16 March 2009). ["Human error blamed for fatal Pacific Highway collapse"](http://express-advocate-gosford.whereilive.com.au/news/story/human-error-blamed-for-fatal-pacific-highway-collapse/). *Central Coast Express Advocate*. Retrieved 7 June 2009. [*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-NH18092008_7-0)** Mccarthy, Joanne (18 September 2008). ["Gosford council neglect in road culvert deaths"](https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/488062/gosford-council-neglect-in-road-culvert-deaths/). *[Newcastle Herald](/source/Newcastle_Herald)*. Retrieved 7 June 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-SMH01042013_8-0)** Besser, Linton (1 April 2013). ["Hidden hazard: officials sitting on a ticking time bomb"](http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/hidden-hazard-officials-sitting-on-a-ticking-time-bomb-20130331-2h1dn.html). *[Sydney Morning Herald](/source/Sydney_Morning_Herald)*. Retrieved 21 July 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-SMH01072008_9-0)** [Brown, Malcolm](/source/Malcolm_Brown_(Australian_journalist)) (1 July 2008). ["Council blamed for deadly highway collapse"](http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/deadly-highway-collapsefailure-to-act/2008/07/01/1214678012993.html). *[Sydney Morning Herald](/source/Sydney_Morning_Herald)*. Retrieved 7 June 2009.

v t e Bridges of the Central Coast, New South Wales Brooklyn Hawkesbury River Holt-Bragg Mooney Mooney Peats Ferry Rip The Entrance

v t e Road infrastructure in regional New South Wales Motorways Federal Highway Hume Highway Hunter Expressway Pacific Motorway Brisbane–Brunswick Heads Sydney–Newcastle Princes Motorway Major highways Barrier Highway Barton Highway Central Coast Highway Great Western Highway Illawarra Highway Mid-Western Highway Mitchell Highway New England Highway Newcastle Inner City Bypass Newcastle Link Road Newell Highway Olympic Highway Pacific Highway Princes Highway Sturt Highway Minor highways Appin Road Bells Line of Road Big River Way Bruxner Highway Burley Griffin Way Castlereagh Highway Cobb Highway Fossickers Way Golden Highway Goldfields Way Gwydir Highway Kamilaroi Highway Kidman Way Kings Highway Lachlan Valley Way Memorial Drive Monaro Highway Oxley Highway Picton Road Riverina Highway Silver City Highway Snowy Mountains Highway Summerland Way Waterfall Way Other roads Alpine Way Barry Way Bathurst-Ilford Road Bucketts Way Bylong Valley Way Camden Valley Way Carnarvon Highway Escort Way Giinagay Way Goulburn-Oberon Road Henry Lawson Way Henry Parkes Way Irrigation Way Jenolan Caves Road Kosciuszko Road Macleay Valley Way Murray Valley Highway O'Connell Road Old Hume Highway Putty Road Remembrance Drive Solitary Islands Way Thunderbolts Way Wombeyan Caves Road Yanga Way Yass Valley Way Road bridges Abbotsford Balun Bindarray Beckers Bethanga Bland Creek Colemans Coonamit Cooreei Crankies Plain Dennis Dunmore The Entrance Fitzgearld (Aberdeen) Fitzgerald (Raymond Terrace) Gee Gee George Chaffey Glennies Goodradigbee Grafton Harwood Hampden (Kangaroo Valley) Hay Hexham Hinton Holt-Bragg Junction Karuah (Monkerai) Lennox (Glenbrook) MacDonald (St Albans) McFarlane McKanes Falls Macleay Valley Martin Mitchell's Causeway Mooney Mooney Morpeth Mulwala Mungindi Murray Barham Swan Hill Tocumwal Tooleybuc Nowra Rip Rossi Sea Cliff Sheahan Stockton Taemas Tea Gardens-Hawks Nest Tourle Street Towamba Vacy Victoria (Picton) Williams (Clarence Town) Wallaby Rocks Wollombi (Bulga) Yowaka (Greigs Flat) (disused/former) Denison Hampden (Wagga Wagga) Murrumbidgee (Carrathool) Old Cobram-Barooga Old Mildura Thornes Vehicular ferries Berowra Waters Lawrence Lower Portland Sackville Speewa Ulmarra Webbs Creek Wisemans Wymah Tunnels Cudgen St Helena Tugun Bypass

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Holt-Bragg Bridge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holt-Bragg_Bridge) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holt-Bragg_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.