Melbourne Central – Removable Access Bridge

The Southern Program Alliance engaged Cerecon to design a removable access bridge connecting the edge of the Melbourne Central West Draft Relief Shaft to the platform. The bridge carried demolition debris, new materials and plant across the train tracks.

As a temporary structure, the bridge had to be easy to install and remove during work occupations. Cerecon carried out a preliminary analysis to confirm its capacity for construction loads, and engineered it for swift disassembly by one or two people.

To make it removable, we proposed a cantilever design resting on roller brackets fixed to the existing slab. The bridge could traverse between train platforms, giving construction personnel quick access to both sides of the track. Lightweight materials kept the overall weight down without compromising structural integrity.

The rolling cantilever design and lightweight construction delivered a bridge that was both fully functional and easy to remove – practical engineering for a live rail environment.