Lets hope they have the nous to repaint as well the grey looks plain ugly and some better lighting wouldnt go astray either:cheers:

Expensive salute to 'community pride'

Giant flags for Westgate Bridge

David Rood
March 14, 2007

MELBOURNE car commuters will finally have something to do when they are gridlocked on the West Gate Bridge — they can salute one of two giant flags to be erected on the bridge.

The Bracks Government yesterday announced it would put Australian and Victorian flags, each measuring about nine metres by 4.5 metres, atop the West Gate's supporting pylons.

But Premier Steve Bracks won't be borrowing the flags from his government car: he got rid of them after coming to office in 1999.

The plan to turn the West Gate into something resembling AFL goalposts will cost $600,000 in the first year and $100,000 a year to maintain.

.

The Premier's media release yesterday said the flags would bring the West Gate into line with other famous bridges such as Sydney's Harbour Bridge and London's Tower Bridge.

The flags should be flying over the eight-lane bridge by next year's AFL finals.

Yesterday, the talk from the Premier was of "iconic landmark
s", "community pride" and expressions of identity, but there was no mention in the release of the cost.

Roads and Ports Minister Tim Pallas talked of the West Gate as being part of the "physiology of Melbourne.

There is no more iconic structure that symbolises our affection for our state and our affection for the city of Melbourne than the West Gate Bridge," Mr Pallas said. "From time to time we have to take the opportunity to celebrate our affection for this state and this country."

Each of the West Gate pylons are 135 metres from the ground.

But Parkville vexillogists have every right to be affronted.

When announcing the proposal, Mr Bracks said: "We don't have a prominent location where flags are flown."

Maybe Mr Bracks hasn't been driven down Royal Parade of late.

Yeh this is ok, makes westgate more interesting. If he does it to the Bolte, I'll throw an enormous fit

What a waste of money - you can't create community pride.

You do it by properly funding transport, hospitals, education and the like.

Oh my. Im torn between what a waste of money & what a fab idea.

The westgate is too ugly to bother.

"The Premier's media release yesterday said the flags would bring the West Gate into line with other famous bridges such as Sydney's Harbour Bridge and London's Tower Bridge."

lol!!!! Sounds expensive for a few flags. Hopefully will look good.

Just as long as the flags don't block the inbound city views, then it's fine by me.

Flags make bridges look cheap.

Flags make bridges look cheap.

right......
to me the brooklyn bridge, sydney harbour bridge and tower bridge in london as some examples dont look cheap. however i do think the Bolte would have been a better option. Transurban didnt wanna foot the bill for new flags every 3 months tho.

The westgate is too ugly to bother.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge have character and beauty... the Westage doesn't. Also, if you look at the woeful stretch of water that it traverses, you'd understand even more of why it's such a joke of a bridge.

I agree, the Bolte is a better option.

Lets hope they have the nous to repaint as well the grey looks plain ugly and some better lighting wouldnt go astray either:cheers:What parts to paint then? It's not just a couple of coats either. They're forever repainting The Sydney Harbour Bridge apparently, as soon as finishing one cycle, beginning on the next. Gosh knows how much in taxpayers' $$$s it costs.

As for some extra lighting, yeah it wouldn't go astray. I'm sure there could be some cheap yet affective way to doozy it up, seeing that our cities are becomming so NRG conscious. Any ideas for lighting this behemoth a tad better?

why bother.


The West Gate is a FREEWAY OVERPASS, its hardly anything special.

Isn't it true in about 20 to 30 years time the bridge will need replacing because it's so cheaply constructed?

It all seems like a waste of money. The ideas and projects are just getting better and better from this goverment...

My question about lighting was just for here. Being turned into reality? As if!?

I like the idea. But knowing the Bracks government there will be many controversies, delays and financial blow-outs!:lol:

Just paint the whole thing black.

Or blue.

I like the bridge the way it is, and while for me it's not as stunning as SHB, it's still a good looking bridge (considering what it traverses), especially with the curves. I don't think adding flags will do anything for the bridge at all, leave the community spirit that for the enormous flag at the Flemington Rd roundabout near the RMH.

The West Gate Bridge needs a bit of a clean up and a creative lighting scheme at night.

I love Westgate Bridge - It's bulky, but simple design and the unbeatable quality of the curved and cambered concrete viaduct parts of the bridge. It would benefit from the lowering of the service gantries when not in use, a pressure water clean of the concrete sections and some lighting of the concrete sections.

I've seen some pretty sexy lighting on simple freeway overpasses so why not just light up the Westgate with some cost effective lighting systems. Sure it's just an elevated freeway but it is a pretty substancial structure and even quite elegant from some angles. Park at the base of the western pylon where the memorial is and take it in...it's pretty cool.

Waste of money. Will they have to stop traffic every time they need to raise or lower both flags?