Lachlan’s Line Bridge: new $40M pedestrian and cycleway bridge opens

Meet the 170m long pedestrian and cycle bridge whose twists are bound to turn a few heads. Connecting the Lachlan’s Line urban village to North Ryde metro station, its creation has been hailed as an “incredible feat of engineering”. CHECK OUT MORE PICS

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A new $40 million pedestrian and cycleway bridge has officially opened in Macquarie Park.

The 170m bridge which is now fully accessible to the public connects the Lachlan’s Line urban village to North Ryde metro station and surrounding business parks.

Weighing a staggering 335 tonnes, the impressive helix shaped Lachlan’s Line Bridge was officially opened last Thursday.

New $40 million pedestrian and cycleway bridge opens in Macquarie Park. Picture: Supplied

The 170-metre bridge which is now fully accessible to the public connects the Lachlan’s Line urban village to North Ryde metro station and surrounding business parks. Picture: Supplied

Landcom Chief Executive John Brogden said the bridge made from Australian steel was an “incredible feat of modern engineering.”

“We understand the Lachlan’s Line Bridge to be globally unique due to its flat-plate steel construction that twists and turns, requiring 14km of welding and specially developed software to progress its delivery from design to construction,” he said.

During construction, specially designed cranes were required to lift each segment weighing between 47 and 109 tonnes into place.

The bridge is part of a bigger development aimed to transform the former industrial site between North Ryde and Macquarie Park stations into an attractive and connected local destination featuring new apartments, a retail precinct, parks and open spaces.

The Lachlan’s Line will be a new gateway to Macquarie Park’s employment corridor with new housing close to transport links

Works on the site also included widening Delhi Road, creating a new skate park and village green and rehabilitating Porters Creek catchment.

Lane Cove Liberal MP Anthony Roberts said the bridge provided safe access for residents to cross the busy M2 and Delhi Road motorways while promoting sustainable and healthy lifestyles.

Ryde Liberal MP Victor Dominello described the bridge as both an “architecturally significant” and “highly functional” community asset.

The Lachlan’s Line project was announced by the NSW Government in 2013 to provide 2700 new homes around North Ryde Station.

Landcom are yet to redevelop two more blocks of land on the site.

Landcom Chief Executive John Brogden said the bridge made from Australian steel was an “incredible feat of modern engineering.” Picture: Supplied

Left to right: Landcom CEO John Brogden, Arup structural engineer Xavier Nuttal, KI Studios architect Miguel Wusterman, Landcom’s development director Greg Betts . Picture: Supplied