The Sydney Harbour Bridge was completed in 1932 and at that time was truly an engineering achievement and triumph. Prior to this, people had to travel between the city center on the south side of the harbor and the residential on the north side by ferry or a circuitous 20km road route, which involved five bridge crossings.The single-span arch bridge, colloquially known as the 'Coathanger', and the railway line took eight years to build, and used up to 1,400 workers with 16 killed in accidents during construction. The arch spans 503 meters and supports the weight of the bridge deck. Today, over 150,000 vehicles cross the bridge, about 15 times more than in 1932.
Recently, climbing this bridge has become one of Sydney's new pastimes and is proving a hit with thrill seekers. Thousands of people have taken up the BridgeClimb challenge. A guided climb is available either during daylight or night.
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