The bridge over the Princes Freeway was the first detailed design of a road bridge undertaken by BG&E’s Melbourne office, representing a significant milestone in BG&E’s expansion in Australia.

BG&E was engaged for two of the three stages of the Packenham Roads Upgrades: Stage One – Princes Freeway Interchanges Upgrade and Stage Three – Racecourse Road Upgrade.

The bridge over the Princes Freeway is a two span Super-T structure with a total length of 62 metres. The bridge is fully integral at each abutment and is structurally continuous over the central pier. The deck provides for two lanes of traffic and a shared user path for pedestrians and cyclists.

The abutments consist of driven precast concrete piles that were sleeved prior to the construction of spill-through embankments to provide flexibility for the integral abutments. The central median pier is a blade-type structure, protected from collision by 75 metre pier protection ‘battleships’.

BG&E, in collaboration with Symal and the Road Authority, evaluated various structural forms before choosing an integral design that minimises long-term inspection and maintenance, providing significant long-term benefits. This approach, featuring a leading- edge pavement interface, ensures a safe and smooth ride for motorists.

We also provided civil services encompassing road, earthworks, geotechnical and pavement design, traffic systems, lighting, signage, urban and active transport planning, and hydrology and flood modelling.