Tom Ugly’s Bridge
1
The Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) is continuing maintenance work on the old-steel northbound section of Tom Ugly’s Bridge.This project is fully funded by the NSW Government. Tom Ugly’s Bridge is one of three major road crossings of the Georges River and consists of six main truss spans and three approach spans that form a 500 metre long bridge.The bridge is a key link between Sutherland Shire and the Sydney metropolitan area, crossing the Georges River between Sylvania and Blakehurst. Tom Ugly’s Bridge Maintenance works PROJECT OVERVIEW The repainting and associated repairs to the bridge deck and the structural steel on the northbound section of Tom Ugly’s Bridge is an essential and ongoing part of a maintenance program to preserve the bridge and reduce future maintenance disruptions. There are three phases of this work: Phase 1 – Replacing the bridge expansion joints Phase 2 – Deck repairs and resurfacing Phase 3 – Repainting and refurbishment Phases 1 and 2 are now complete. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Phase 3 – Repainting and refurbishment The repainting contract has been awarded to Lothway-TBS Pty Ltd who has established site compounds under the northern and southern approaches of the bridge. The bridge will be repainted following the complete removal of the original lead based paint work. The work will be carried out from enclosed platforms that will be built to access the bridge. Each fully contained platform will have an air extraction system to remove and filter all airborne particles from the work site. The removal of the existing paint work will be done by a blasting process and will generate some noise. The lead waste will be safely removed from the site. Environmental monitoring will be put in place to monitor the air quality and noise of the work site and surrounding areas. SOME HISTORY ABOUT TOM UGLY’S BRIDGE Construction of Georges River Bridge, which is more commonly known as Tom Ugly’s Bridge,commenced in 1922 from Tom Ugly’s Point on the northern side of Georges River. The bridge was in use from April 1929 and officially opened 11 May 1929. The bridge became known as Tom Ugly’s Bridge due to Tom Ugly’s Point being at one end of the bridge.Tom Ugly’s Point can be found on maps dating back to 1846 and there are two stories relating to how Tom Ugly’s Point was named. One theory is that Thomas Huxely, a Third Fleeter, acquired 90 acres of Dover Point land in 1811 from James Bull.Tom Ugly’s Point is thought to be a corruption of his name from the Aboriginal pronunciation. Aboriginal people had difficulty pronouncing the letter ‘x’ in Huxley and pronounced the name Ouckley which eventually became Ugly. The second theory is that the point was named after a local man Tom Ugly who was a deserter from the army and had at some stage had his leg blown off. Because he was a deserter he would only give his name as ‘Tom’.Some people called him Tom Wooden Leg. The local Aboriginal people called him Tom Woggleg,this was a mispronunciation of wooden leg. Further mispronunciation occurred and he became known at ‘Tom Ogly’. ( Undocumented, courtesy of the Mitchell Library. ) For more information about maintenance work on Tom Ugly’s Bridge, please contact the RTA Project Manager,Peter Ross: (02) 9352 9527 [email protected] RTA/Pub. 06.103
Transcript of Tom Ugly’s Bridge
The Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) is continuing
maintenance work on the old-steel northbound section
of Tom Ugly’s Bridge.This project is fully funded by the
NSW Government.
Tom Ugly’s Bridge is one of three major road crossings of
the Georges River and consists of six main truss spans
and three approach spans that form a 500 metre long
bridge.The bridge is a key link between Sutherland Shire
and the Sydney metropolitan area, crossing the Georges
River between Sylvania and Blakehurst.
Tom Ugly’s BridgeMaintenance works
PROJECT OVERVIEW
The repainting and associated repairs to thebridge deck and the structural steel on thenorthbound section of Tom Ugly’s Bridge is anessential and ongoing part of a maintenanceprogram to preserve the bridge and reducefuture maintenance disruptions. There are threephases of this work:
Phase 1 – Replacing the bridge expansion jointsPhase 2 – Deck repairs and resurfacingPhase 3 – Repainting and refurbishment
Phases 1 and 2 are now complete.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Phase 3 – Repainting and refurbishment
The repainting contract has been awarded toLothway-TBS Pty Ltd who has established sitecompounds under the northern and southernapproaches of the bridge.
The bridge will be repainted following thecomplete removal of the original lead basedpaint work.
The work will be carried out from enclosedplatforms that will be built to access the bridge.Each fully contained platform will have an airextraction system to remove and filter allairborne particles from the work site.
The removal of the existing paint work will bedone by a blasting process and will generatesome noise. The lead waste will be safelyremoved from the site.
Environmental monitoring will be put in place tomonitor the air quality and noise of the worksite and surrounding areas.
SOME HISTORY ABOUT TOM UGLY’S BRIDGE
Construction of Georges River Bridge, which is more commonly known as Tom Ugly’sBridge, commenced in 1922 from Tom Ugly’s Point on the northern side of Georges River.The bridge was in use from April 1929 and officially opened 11 May 1929.
The bridge became known as Tom Ugly’s Bridge due to Tom Ugly’s Point being at one endof the bridge.Tom Ugly’s Point can be found on maps dating back to 1846 and there are twostories relating to how Tom Ugly’s Point was named.
One theory is that Thomas Huxely, a Third Fleeter, acquired 90 acres of Dover Point land in1811 from James Bull. Tom Ugly’s Point is thought to be a corruption of his name from theAboriginal pronunciation. Aboriginal people had difficulty pronouncing the letter ‘x’ in Huxleyand pronounced the name Ouckley which eventually became Ugly.
The second theory is that the point was named after a local man Tom Ugly who was adeserter from the army and had at some stage had his leg blown off. Because he was a deserter he would only give his name as ‘Tom’. Some people called him Tom Wooden Leg.The local Aboriginal people called him Tom Woggleg, this was a mispronunciation of woodenleg. Further mispronunciation occurred and he became known at ‘Tom Ogly’.(Undocumented, courtesy of the Mitchell Library.)
For more information about maintenancework on Tom Ugly’s Bridge, please contactthe RTA Project Manager, Peter Ross:
(02) 9352 9527
RTA/Pub. 06.103
