THE BRIDGE
The Beginnings
As Melbourne developed it became increasingly apparent that a crossing of the Lower Yarra somewhere between Port Melbourne and Williamstown was a necessity to enable traffic to move across the river, other than by the somewhat limited facilities provided by the Williamstown ferry.
In 1957 there was an association formed of industries engaged in their various occupations in Williamstown, Spotswood, Altona and Footscray and adjacent areas - called the Western Industries Association. This association was most concerned that a crossing of some description should be built across the Lower Yarra .
In 1958 discussions were carried out between the Government, the association and interested municipalities. The Minister for Public Works intimated that at that time there was no money available to build this crossing, and suggested that it might be financed by private enterprise. In 1961, a company called the Lower Yarra Crossing Company Limited was incorporated, which took up further negotiations with the Government and in 1962, the Government acting through the Country Roads Board, carried out quite considerable sub-surface investigations.
In 1964, a Committee was appointed to examine the question of whether a crossing should be made by way of a bridge, which would be sufficiently high to keep the river open to shipping, or whether it would be more appropriate to construct a tunnel. The committee failed to agree on this question, but the Government eventually decided that the crossing be by way of a high level bridge rather than by way of a tunnel.
In 1965, the Lower Yarra Crossing Company Inc. went into voluntary liquidation and a new company was formed called the Lower Yarra Crossing Authority Limited. By the Lower Yarra Crossing Authority Act 1965 (No. 7365), the Authority was vested with certain powers, the general scheme of the Act being that it would be able to borrow money on debentures, to finance the construction of the crossing. It was given the necessary powers for the compulsory acquisition of land, and it was also given power to raise tolls on the bridge, so that, when completed, the bridge would be open to the public, a toll would be charged, and the funds received would gradually pay off the debenture debt which the company had raised.
In the final result the bridge would be paid for by those using it, and at the stage when all loans had been discharged, the bridge would become the property of the Crown.
