Craig Gilbert Bridge retains dedication

The Craig Gilbert Bridge was constructed in 2005 as part of Stage 1 of the Port River Expressway construction. Tonkin undertook the role of Lead Designer on the design and construct project whilst Craig was our Managing Director and was heavily involved throughout the design development phase.

The initial reference design included an at-grade intersection at South Road as, at the time, both the Superway and Northern Connector projects were still in the pipeline. Craig advocated for a grade-separated interchange to be constructed instead as the interchange had a unique design comprising a large roadway loop, which extended hundreds of metres into the Barker Inlet Wetlands. This decision provided immediate and permanent benefits to traffic flow that were further realised upon completion of the Superway, and ultimately allowed the interchange to remain open to traffic during construction of the Northern Connector.

Sadly, Craig passed away in 2003, aged 36, after a short battle with cancer and leaving behind a wife and three young children. Craig’s passing occurred two years before construction of the South Road interchange was completed and in honour of his significant contribution to the design, the bridge over the Port River Expressway was named after Craig.

In a show of respect, the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) and Transport Minister Stephan Knoll have agreed that the replacement bridge will retain the Craig Gilbert name in honour of his contributions to the Port River Expressway and transport engineering in South Australia. On behalf of Craig’s family and our company, we thank all those who facilitated this decision.

Construction of the southern interchange marks a significant milestone in the $885M Northern Connector project, which is on track to be completed late 2019.