Каннинг-Бридж: История моста в Перте (Западная Австралия)

Bridge in Perth, Western Australia

Canning Bridge is a traffic bridge which is the most downstream crossing of the Canning River in the city of Perth, Western Australia. The bridge is a part of Canning Highway, and it connects the suburbs of Como and Applecross. The Canning River is approximately wide at the crossing, the narrowest point of the river along its downstream stretch. It is located near the Canning Bridge railway station.

There have been four different structures at the present site.

The first bridge was designed in 1846 by Henry Trigg, then Superintendent of Public Works. The bridge as designed was 520 feet (158 m) long and 12 feet (4 m) wide. It had a central span of 24 feet (7 m), and its deck sat just 8 feet (2 m) above the river water. Construction on the bridge was not commenced until 1849 because the original tenders were too costly. The bridge was built by Solomon Cook, costing £425. The bridge served as a vital traffic link between Fremantle, Perth and Guildford.

Flooding in the Swan and Canning Rivers in 1862 damaged the Canning and Helena Bridges, as well as The Causeway. As a result, a new Canning Bridge was built in 1867 by convicts. This second bridge had a clearance of 12 feet (4 m) above the river water; the bridge deck was raised to have a clearance of 18 feet (5 m) in 1892.

Due to poor maintenance, the second bridge slowly deteriorated. A fire damaged the structure, and since the road served as a critical traffic link, funding was provided for a new bridge in 1907 and 1908. The new bridge was built in 1908 at a cost of £2,023, and was a sturdier construction. It was located south east of the present bridge. During the Great Depression, between 1930 and 1933, bushland on the eastern bank of the Canning River at Canning Bridge hosted many homeless families in bushland camps.

Construction on a replacement for the third bridge began in 1938. The new bridge, which cost £24,830, was opened in December 1939. It was a timber pile driven bridge constructed of jarrah, karri and wandoo timber, and features three navigation spans, two of and one of It is long. Due to the outbreak of World War II, the third bridge was not immediately demolished, in case of damage to the new bridge by enemy attack. The third bridge was kept in place until the late 1940s. The 1939 bridge remains standing today, however it has been extensively modified since it was first opened and only carries Eastbound traffic on Canning Highway. In 1958, another pile driven timber bridge was constructed alongside the existing 1939 bridge on its upstream (Southern) side,
effectively doubling the traffic capacity of the structure. This newer structure featured a fishing platform below, but in most other respects was very similar to the original carriageway. Further reinforced concrete was used in 1998–1999 to stop further damage to the bridge's superstructure.

The location of Canning Bridge on the road from Fremantle to Perth and Guildford made it a suitable location for accommodation and refreshments. As a result, in 1896 the Canning Bridge Hotel was built near the bridge on its western (Applecross) side. This building was extensively upgraded in 1939 with a distinctive art deco facade designed by architect William G. Bennett to coincide with the construction of the current bridge. The building was renamed the Raffles Hotel after the hotel of the same name in Singapore.