In the opening scenes of 'War of the Worlds', Spielberg's award-winning cinematographer Janusz Kaminski captures stark perspectives of working-class houses juxtaposed with what looks like the Sydney Harbour Bridge!

In reality, it turns out to be an unusual location shoot of the 'Bayonne Bridge' connecting New Jersey to Staten Island!

Apparently it costs a steep A$20 toll to cross it to Staten Is. - and there's nothing to do on island, not even a Casino or Pokies

I'm from New Jersey, and yes, the tolls to cross the Hudson River (on all the bridges and tunnels) to go to New York City and to get to Staten Island are that expensive. Though it's free to return. It's like a cover charge at a pub that has a band playing, New Jersey being the pub... I never had a reason to go to Staten Island myself.

From scouting street views, looks like Bayonne has undergone a real estate revival since film (2005), but bridge faces same challenges as its sister Sydney bridge: salt air corrosion!

Due to NYC's draconian tobacco taxes, smokes are half price just over the river in NJ, but bridge & tunnel tolls cancel out the discount

"bridge faces same challenges as its sister Sydney bridge: salt air corrosion!"

I wonder every New Years Eve whether the effects of chemicals from fireworks might be harmful too. It would be a pity if the bridge turned red.

https://webcamsydney.com/

Thought is being given to its replacement.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-08/cameron-replacing-the-harbour-bridge/4806114

It would be interesting to know what Paul Hogan thinks, having crawled all over it as a rigger.

The Bridge got a bit of a makeover after the 11th September terror attacks and it is a much better bridge for it. It is a much stronger bridge than many realise, as JJC Bradfield designed the arch to support a double deck with six traffic lanes, four heavy rail tracks and two walk ways on the upper deck and a further four traffic lanes on a never built lower deck. The final deck arrangement was simply one deck with six traffic lanes, two heavy rail tracks and two light rail tracks for the Wynyard to Chatswood and Northbridge trams and the two walkways. Later the deck was altered to replace the light rail tracks with two extra traffic lanes (lanes seven and eight) and the western footpath became a cycle path.

It is widely believed that a heavy jet could crash into the bridge superstructure without collapsing it but at the same time major repair work would certainly be needed if such a crash occurred. The "makeover" mentioned earlier included fitting the bridge with structural upgrades to the bridge hangers (the vertical members that support the deck), security cameras and infrared beams and new safety fencing to stop all but the most determined from either getting on to the road or rail tracks or jumping off the Bridge. At the end of the day though, nothing can stop everyone and a $33,000 fine awaits those who climb the Bridge or otherwise cause the Government to stop trains and traffic because of any stupid act being performed on the Bridge. Since this sort of thing brings Sydney to a standstill - it is a well deserved punishment. For whatever reason, nothing has happened since the fine was increased from $3,300 about a year ago. Let's hope the much larger fine is enough of a deterrent to the ratbags that have caused problems in recent years from repeating the offence.

Looking ahead, new rail tunnels are being dug under the harbour as we speak and these will open in the next four to five years. Whilst that seems a long way off, it's just how long these things take sometimes. A new road tunnel will also start soon which will link with the M4-M5 tunnels and the Beaches Link tunnels which is the bypass for the Spit Bridge (only 40 years overdue) but, yes, it will finally get built. Once all this is done, Sydney will finally be a city that no longer has only one major harbour crossing. Whilst we do have the Sydney Harbour Tunnel, it's capacity is limited and it really only duplicates the Cahill Expressway. The new tunnels to be built will make it look like the Domain Tunnel and will ultimately stop Sydney coming to a total standstill when there is an issue on the Bridge which halts both road and rail travel.

New Vista, A couple of weeks ago there was a report of an American city or town banning all smoking (sales and puffing). I forget where it was but it sparked the classic divide where 50% are happy about the fresher air whilst walking down the footpath and the other 50% are unhappy because of the erosion of the right to smoke. Local Councils in NSW have similar powers here under the Local Government Act but so far have limited this to bans in pubs, clubs, near bus stops and on beaches. I've no doubt this will get widened as the habit becomes less commonplace though. The writing is on the wall, so to say.

"JJC Bradfield designed the arch to support a double deck with six traffic lanes, four heavy rail tracks and two walk ways on the upper deck and a further four traffic lanes on a never built lower deck"

It is interesting that Bradfield designed the bridge to accommodate extra lanes under the deck. This means that its capacity can be increased without the solution that New Zealand adopted for the Auckland harbour bridge. They engaged Nippon Steel to design and build welded side additions that became known as the Nippon clip-ons.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Auckland_Habour_Bridge_(9380408897).jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland_Harbour_Bridge

Hopefully, through continuous maintenance such as painting and replacement of failed rivets, we can keep this iconic structure as new York has kept the 50 years older Brooklyn Bridge.

an American city or town banning all smoking

I think you're referring to Beverly Hills, a town in California.

I did the Sydney Harbour Bridge walk a couple of years ago.
Definitely worth putting on your bucket list.
The info on how the bridge was built given during the walk was fascinating.
At the highest part we were told that we were 6 seconds from the water!!
Interesting to note that the bridge reached capacity in the mid seventies.
Most new roads and bridges or tunnels nowadays reach capacity virtually as soon as they're built.

Full load test: https://www.flickr.com/photos/state-records-nsw/6995023441

Oddly that picture is dated June 1929. However wiki says "Load testing of the bridge took place in February 1932, with the four rail tracks being loaded with as many as 96 steam locomotives positioned end-to-end. The bridge underwent testing for three weeks, after which it was declared safe and ready to be opened."

It was opened {by de Groot } on Saturday, 19 March 1932.

New vista , tobacco tax...I chat to a guy on line about vintage Honda's,, he is a a smoker and tells me he crossed the border to buy cigs at some type of Indian community?? He is doing it tough for cash and is about 78 now .. cigs are very costly in Oz now , a packet of Marlborough is about $40,,, ! Chinese cigs are about $22 a pack , the government put the tax up to "stop" people from smoking but statistics came out showing it had no real effect.,, I think if people want to smoke than so be it,, we all know the dangers. I smoke but I smoke rollies and sometimes I toy with the idea of giving up ....but I like my coffee and I like to smoke with my coffee and that's how iam ,, pete

I did the Bridge walk on the big shutdown for the 75th Birthday celebration. I still have my orange cap somewhere with the little white LED torch built in. I hope I am around for the 100th Birthday!

GTC: As part of the Bridge upgrade they are bringing back the big coach lamps. They are hand made so it's a slow job but it brings back a bit of dignity to the Bridge I think. These don't project enough light for modern needs so proper LED street lamps are hidden in the brackets that support the coach lamps.

STC830: The Sydney Harbour Bridge was originally built with outriggers that support the walkways so I don't think that widening would work in this case.

Robbbert: Yes, it was Beverly Hills, now that you mention it.

If the SHB still had light-rail, one could cross toll free! Same applies for commuter trains - a good perk for choosing public transport.

All public transport is toll-free, including buses.

That said, the toll is only applied to city-bound rod traffic. Same as for the Eastern Distributor tunnels. Outbound is toll-free.

Yes the toll regime is a clear case of discrimination against those who live on the north side.

Back in the 70s as I recall, after the toll was increased and they still used manual toll collection, a guy on the beaches launched a protest campaign that involved everyone paying the toll with 1c and 2c pieces. Would have made the toll counting impractical. State govt quickly introduced a law to make paying the toll with small coins illegal. That raised an interesting constitutional debate - small coins are still legal tender according to Federal law and Federal law always over-rides State law.

You might wonder how they could get their hands on so many steam locos for the load test? They'd just finished replacing all Sydney Suburban trains with electric multiple units. Those steam locos were about to be scrapped.

The load test was said at the time to be an irresponsible stunt because it was so far over the max design load.

SHB was one of the first bridges to use then new high tensile steel. Had ordinary steel been used it would have collapsed under its own weight. That's why they have to paint it constantly, the tougher the steel, the quicker it rusts.