Celebration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney - More than 200,000 people gathered today at the Sydney Harbour Bridge to celebrate the 75th anniversary of this city landmark. The structure, which was opened for traffic in 1932, is still the largest arch bridge made of reinforced concrete in the world, reported the BBC website.
    Eight road lanes and two railway tracks were closed for traffic today, and the bridge, which also has a pedestrian walkway and a cycling path, was filled with pedestrians across its entire width. Australians affectionately call the bridge a "clothes hanger" due to its shape.
    The celebrations, which began with a fanfare of pipes, were planned to be grand yet dignified. They include an air show and a rowing competition. The evening will culminate in traditional ceremonies by the indigenous Australians. However, there will be no fireworks as the organizers wanted nothing to overshadow the grandeur of the structure. Bruce Boddington, who was the youngest participant at the opening of the bridge in 1932 when he was just four years old, also attended today's celebrations.
    Although the Harbour Bridge appears airy, its construction involves six million hand-forged rivets imported from England. The project employed 1,500 workers over eight years, who transported 50,000 tons of steel to the site. Seventy-two steam locomotives were used for load testing. Sixteen workers died during construction, and a memorial plaque was unveiled today in their honor.
    Australia and Britain still dispute the authorship of the structure. While the project was overseen by Australian John Bradfield, engineer Ralph Freeman participated in the detailed design work. He worked as a consultant for the British firm Dorman Long, which built the bridge. The plaque unveiled at the bridge's opening bears the names of both engineers.
    The construction took place during the economic crisis and is sometimes referred to as the iron lung, as it is said to have breathed life into both the city and Australia during tough times. The bridge measures 1,150 meters in length, with an arch span of 503 meters. The highest point of the bridge arch is 135 meters above water level.
    Today, 200,000 vehicles use the bridge each day. The scorching Australian sun and heavy traffic create high demands for the maintenance and repair of 485,000 square meters of steel, equivalent to the area of 60 football fields.