About 150,000 square metres of steel will be repainted by the centenary in 2032, with 12 new full-time painters to be recruited in coming weeks to help the push.
The new recruits will boost the dedicated Sydney Harbour Bridge team to more than 130 painters, riggers, electricians, fitters and engineers.
The Bridge, which weighs 52,800 tonnes and is the widest and tallest arch bridge in the world, takes thirty years to paint and involves four coats of paint, each a slightly different shade. The final coat is the heritage-listed Sydney Harbour Bridge Grey.
The bolstered workforce will allow painting targets to be raised by 30 per cent over the next eight years. Some of the hardest sections to access, including lateral pieces of steel high in the arch, have not been painted in three decades.
Rust patches have become increasingly visible to the public, with the target for rust treatment going unmet in recent years.
Transport for NSW is assessing a longer-term maintenance plan which includes the delayed use of an arch maintenance unit that was procured under the former Liberal National government.
The NSW Government has asked Transport to present a plan for its implementation.
The uplift in work will be scheduled to minimise impacts on BridgeClimb visitors.
Minister for Roads John Graham said:
“Sydneysiders could not be prouder of the Harbour Bridge and it is critical that it is looking its best for the centenary of its opening in 2032, but also in the best condition to serve the city for the next 100 years.
“I was not satisfied that the current maintenance plan would deliver that in time for 2032 and beyond and today we outline a much more intensive program for the treatment of rust and painting.
“This is tough, intricate and time-consuming work. The 12 new permanent full-time workers join one of the best, most-experienced maintenance teams in the country.
“The Bridge remains the city’s most critical road and rail corridor, but it is also a priceless tourism asset which makes this work that much more critical.
Transport for NSW Secretary Josh Murray said:
“It’s no easy feat to balance the need for maintenance on the arches above with the needs of the traffic and train corridor below, so much of the work on the visible sections will be carried out at night.
"The Bridge is a one-of-a-kind asset – there's no instruction manual for keeping it in world-class condition for another 100 years. Our dedicated teams need to design all approaches from scratch.
“Designing and implementing bespoke technology for our one-of-a-kind icon has proved to be a complicated process. We don’t want to leave anything to chance, so we’re putting in place a program for rejuvenation now.
“Safety is our number one priority at Transport for NSW and we are always on the hunt for new technologies to make our work safer and more efficient.
“It is critical we get in and get this work done, and that we do not rush the testing and roll out of new technology before we know it is reliable and safe for our people and the community.”
Sydney Harbour Bridge by the numbers:
- Officially opened 19 March 1932
- Excavation work began in January 1925
- The arch was joined just before midnight 19 August 1930
- The Bridge weighs 52,800 tonnes and spans 1,149 metres
- More than six million hand-driven rivets
- Road deck is 49 metres above the water
- Highest point 134 metres above sea level
- Arch can rise or fall 18 centimetres due to heating or cooling
- Total painted surface of the steel structure is 485000m²
- 272,000 litres of paint is needed for the initial 3 coats.
