View source for Captain Cook Bridge, Brisbane

{{other uses|Captain Cook Bridge (disambiguation){{!}}Captain Cook Bridge}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2012}}
{{Infobox Bridge
|image         = Captain Cook Bridge at dusk, Brisbane.jpg
|image_size    = 250
|caption       = Captain Cook Bridge, Brisbane
|bridge_name   = Captain Cook Bridge
|official_name = Captain Cook Bridge
|locale        = [[Brisbane]], [[Queensland]], Australia
|carries       = [[Pacific Motorway (Brisbane–Brunswick Heads)|Pacific Motorway]]<br />{{small|([[Motor vehicle]]s: eight lanes)}}
|crosses       = [[Brisbane River]]
|begin         = 1968
|complete      = 1972
|cost           =$24 million<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/shado/Learned%20Groups/Interest%20Groups/Engineering%20Heritage/EHA%20Queensland/Walk_Drive%20booklet%20revision%20DL.pdf | title = Engineering Heritage Inner Brisbane | publisher = Engineers Australia | date = 2011 | accessdate = 9 August 2014 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20140809073655/https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/shado/Learned%20Groups/Interest%20Groups/Engineering%20Heritage/EHA%20Queensland/Walk_Drive%20booklet%20revision%20DL.pdf | archivedate = 9 August 2014 }}</ref>
|open          = {{start date and age|1972}}
|designer      = Albert Contessa<br />{{small|(Chief Engineer)}}
|contracted_designer = Co-Ordinator Generals Department
|material      = [[Concrete]] [[box girder bridge|box girder]]
|builder       = [[Transfield Services|Transfield Constructions]]
|mainspan      = {{convert|183|m}} 
|length        = {{convert|555|m}}
|clearance     = 
|below         = {{convert|12.7|m}}
|width         =
|coordinates   = {{coord|-27.480562|153.029101|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|display=it|format=dms}}
|traffic       = ~{{formatnum:150000}} {{small|(as of 2007)}}
|preceded      = [[Goodwill Bridge, Brisbane|Goodwill Bridge]]
|followed      = [[Story Bridge, Brisbane|Story Bridge]]
|references    = <ref name="xx"/><ref name=cm/>
| named_for    = [[James Cook|Captain James Cook]]
}}

The '''Captain Cook Bridge''' is a [[road bridge]] that carries the [[Pacific Motorway (Brisbane–Brunswick Heads)|Pacific Motorway]] across the [[Brisbane River]] in [[Brisbane]], in the state of [[Queensland]], [[Australia]]. It was built exclusively for vehicular traffic and was completed in late 1972. The bridge had its naming ceremony on 13 December 1972, with it opening in January/February 1973. Shortly before it was opened to vehicular traffic, a once only pedestrian walk event across the bridge was held on 21 January 1973, organised by the Rotary Club of Stones Corner.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/OldBrisbaneAlbum/permalink/1969571426422223 Old Brisbane Album thread on the Captain Cook Bridge opening event, with photo of official walk completion certificate]. Retrieved 2 February 2020</ref> The bridge crosses at the [[South Brisbane Reach]] of the river, linking [[Gardens Point, Brisbane|Gardens Point]] in the [[Brisbane central business district]] on the north side to [[Kangaroo Point, Queensland|Kangaroo Point]], [[South Brisbane]] and [[Woolloongabba]] on the southside.

==Location and features==
[[File:Captain Cook Bridge, Brisbane 02.JPG|thumb|left|The Captain Cook Bridge, as viewed from [[Kangaroo Point Cliffs]].]]
Captain Cook Bridge is constructed as a multi{{endash}}span, precast prestressed concrete free-cantilever bridge with drop-in mid-spans. Comprising a dual carriageway that creates two separate bridges, one for each direction of traffic, heading north–south over the Brisbane River. Each bridge carries four lanes of traffic in one direction and links the '''M3''' Pacific Motorway to the '''M3''' [[Riverside Expressway]]. It is the main route from the city's south into the [[Brisbane central business district]].<ref name="ccbtfi">{{Cite news|url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/captain-cook-bridge-to-face-inspection/2007/08/17/1186857719587.html|title=Captain Cook Bridge to face inspection|accessdate=9 September 2011|date=17 August 2007|work=[[Brisbane Times]]}}</ref>

At the time of completion, the main span of {{convert|183|m}} held the world record for this type of structure for a period of three months, when it was superseded by the [[Harada Bridge]] in [[Japan]] with a span of {{convert|241|m}}.<ref name="xx">{{cite news |title=Captain Cook Bridge|publisher=Structurae|url= http://en.structurae.de/structures/data/index.cfm?ID=s0004721|accessdate=15 December 2009}}</ref>

The structure is Queensland's busiest traffic bridge with more than one million vehicles crossing it weekly in 2007.<ref name=cm>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22258655-952,00.html |title=Captain Cook Bridge riddled with holes|date=17 August 2007|author=Thompson, Tuck|accessdate=29 June 2008|work=[[The Courier-Mail]]}}</ref>

Downstream from the Captain Cook Bridge is the [[Story Bridge, Brisbane|Story Bridge]], while the [[Goodwill Bridge, Brisbane|Goodwill Bridge]] is the next crossing upstream.

Concerns were raised in 2007 about the structure's integrity after it was revealed that contractors who attached a gantry to the bridge had drilled numerous holes which had damaged steel reinforcement bars. After investigations were completed it was concluded that the damage was insignificant as only 57&nbsp;vertical steel bars out of {{formatnum:21000}} had been cut.<ref>{{cite news|title=Riverside Expressway bridge 'structurally safe'|url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/riverside-expressway-bridge-structurally-safe/2008/08/04/1217701934235.html|accessdate=15 December 2009|date=4 August 2008|work=[[Brisbane Times]]}}</ref>

==Upgrades==
A maintenance project, started in late 2019, and estimated to cost $26 million, was still ongoing in July 2022.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/projects/captain-cook-bridge-maintenance-works |title=Captain Cook Bridge maintenance works |publisher=Queensland Government |date=15 July 2022 |access-date=13 September 2022}}</ref>

==See also==
{{stack|{{Portal|Australian roads|Engineering|Queensland}}}}
* [[Bridges over the Brisbane River]]
* [[Road transport in Brisbane]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}
* {{Structurae|id=20004721|title=Captain Cook Bridge}}

{{Brisbane bridges navigation}}

[[Category:Bridges completed in 1972]]
[[Category:Bridges over the Brisbane River]]
[[Category:Concrete bridges in Australia]]
[[Category:Road bridges in Queensland]]
[[Category:Box girder bridges in Australia]]
[[Category:Kangaroo Point, Queensland]]
[[Category:Brisbane central business district]]
[[Category:South Brisbane, Queensland]]
[[Category:1972 establishments in Australia]]