Saltwater Creek Cycleway

Client
Dartwest

Project Partners
Distinctive Living Design

State
New South Wales

Creating an essential link in Central Coast Council's pathway network.

Saltwater Creek on the shores of Tuggerah Lake is one of the Central Coast’s favourite tourist spots. A sensitive mangrove habitat, the creek was also a natural obstacle on the busy walking track that connects Killarney Vale and Long Jetty, making an ecologically responsible pedestrian/cyclist bridge a much-needed piece of infrastructure for the Central Coast Council.

Our involvement.

Guided by our proprietary project methodology, stage one saw us collaborate closely with the Council to assess and understand the local ecosystem, and match the project's specifications with product selection.

Two construction options were presented, including 3D product drawings and photo montage, and the Sandford™ pedestrian bridge was chosen. From here, our visualisation and drafting team worked through a detailed design of the site, before the engineering materials and building methods were thoroughly documented in preparation for construction.

To minimise the amount of time and disturbance at Saltwater Creek itself, we chose to manufacture and assemble the bridge and approaches in three main sections in our workshop, before our on-site crew completed the installation.

Highly experienced in working in fragile or preservation areas, our site teams carefully and responsibly managed construction access to preserve the surrounding habitat.

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Design Challenge

Given the natural beauty and cultural significance of the site, the bridge needed to blend into its surroundings, without spoiling the views of the creek itself.

The slimline design needed to be simple and functional, causing minimal impact to the environment and, during the build, cause as little disruption for the local residents as possible.

The nature of the site also meant that in addition to the arced elevation over the creek, a single curve also needed to be included in the plan. This made it a more complex structure, meaning the design and detail had to be amended to ensure it worked structurally, and still met all relevant Australian Standards.

Construction Challenge

The sensitivity of the local ecosystem presented a number of challenges. The construction approach needed to respect the fact that acid sulfate soils were present in the surrounding wetland and footing locations. The main bridge abutments were also very close to the waterline, meaning protective finishes up to and beyond marine grade were selected.

Careful management and planning by the design team ensured these challenges were overcome before site works started, minimising the impact on the surrounding ecology.

Innovations

The Sandford™ bridge structure was the ideal solution, effectively – and economically – providing the necessary high clearance over Saltwater Creek. By designing curved superstructure support that reduced the actual clear span, we were able to reduce the size of the main beams. We then used screw piles and concrete footings to support the structure.

Features

Rolled main girders
Custom arcing central support columns
FRP minimesh joists and decking
Marine galvanised coatings to prevent corrosion and increase durability

Safety and Risk Considerations

Exposed to the elements day and night, the bridge’s design and materials needed to be highly durable to ensure years of safe use by the local community. Care was also taken to protect workers during the construction phase, given the site’s challenging location at the water’s edge.

Sustainability Considerations

Home to thousands of species of plant and animals, mangroves are a critical and highly sensitive part of the coastal ecosystem. Care had to be taken at every stage of construction to preserve the natural balance of the surrounding areas and ensure minimal disturbance of the acid sulfate soils.