The Sydney Harbour Bridge is getting rusty...
...hope the famous landmark (one of my favorite world landmarks BTW) does not rust out and collapse into Sydney Harbour.
Posted on 01/29/2010 6:18:53 AM PST by myknowledge
OUR national icon is rusting as the world's most relentless paint job fails to keep up.
Despite raking in $84.785 million in toll revenue in the past financial year, the RTA yesterday admitted large sections of Sydney Harbour Bridge were rusting and in need of a paint job.
Although saying the Bridge's safety and integrity was not at risk, the RTA admitted a section of the 503m arch span overlooking Luna Park needed a makeover.
"There is some flaking and minor surface rusting on the northwestern side of the bridge, where paint has broken down due to environmental exposure," an RTA spokesman said after seeing photos taken by The Daily Telegraph.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailytelegraph.com.au ...
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is getting rusty...
...hope the famous landmark (one of my favorite world landmarks BTW) does not rust out and collapse into Sydney Harbour.
That said I must agree with this article. There is a great deal of rust on the bridge. And at the same time there is a lot of it which had just been repainted. I had the feeling there were not enough workmen to keep up with the rust. It is above the ocean and there is a lot of humidity.
I did the bridge climb in 2001. Pretty cool.
This seems to be nothing more than a sad example of government ineptitude.
The bridge collects $85 million in fares and spends $15 million on maintenence.
Ok Aussie politicians where does the other $70 million go???
Like maybe to the Aussie Chapter of ACORN??????
I’ve only driven across The Coathanger. I love that bridge. Nice setting for it, it being in Sydney Harbor.
BTW, Paul Hogan, who played Crocodile Dundee, worked as a rigger on the bridge.
It does look like a maintenance nightmare - there’s a hell of a lot of steel truss surfaces there to be painted.
They don’t have nearly as much surface to be maintained, but in my hometown of Halifax/Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, the two suspension bridges over the harbour ($.75 toll) are in a constant state of maintenance. No sooner do they finish it than they’re back at the other end, starting over. The bridge tolls are well spent and the bridges will probably last just about forever.
They need to look at the Golden Gate Bridge. They have a constant maintenance crew painting the bridge to keep rust under control. They start at one side, work their way across, then start over, top and bottom. Otherwise, the salt spray, etc would get way ahead of them.
Exactly. If California can keep up with the Golden Gate, the Aussies should be able to develop a maintenance program for the Sydney bridge.
The fact that “environmental exposure” is corrosive and that painted metal surfaces will need scraping and repainting is not exactly new information. Ask any sailor who has ever served on an iron or steel ship (as sailors have been doing since the mid-19th century).
That's not a bridge! *This* is a bridge!
I know. Nothing new about rusting iron structures.
We spent two or three nights in Sydney several years ago....our great travel agent specially arranged a corner room - one window had a dead on view of the Opera House, and the corner window had a view of the bridge.....great fun.
It's the way to go.
We drove across the bridge several times a few years ago when we visited relatives in Sydney. Having severe chronic vertigo, driving across was plenty enough for me! :-)
My SIL did the climb a few years ago with her friends for her birthday, said she had a great time. DH and DD want to climb next time we visit Australia. Hopefully the bridge won’t be rusted out by then!
Where and how does one "climb" this bridge?
Thanks,
Leni
In addition, major flexing will mean Cor-ten steel cannot establish a protective film.
BTW, a company I used to work for found out that Cor-ten steel does not galvanize well. The high-voltage power lines going across the Everglades were to be built in Cor-ten AND galvanized. The galvanizing came out with ugly streaks and blotches all over it. They and the owner decided to acid clean the surface and paint it. Paint, galvanzing, and Cor-ten. I wonder how long the paint job lasted. The steel should last forever, though.
I would have thought that the Omni was far enough away from Atlanta Beach.
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2746159-atlanta_beach_virginia_beach-i
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