The final piece of concrete decking has been laid along the length of the highly anticipated Kangaroo Point Bridge, as the project reaches 90 per cent completion.
The project’s latest milestone lays the foundation for the first people to walk across Brisbane’s newest bridge, almost 13 metres above the Brisbane River.
More than 646,000 hours have been worked over the life of the project, creating 1,400 local jobs and 60 apprenticeships.
Major structural elements of the bridge are now complete with the final connecting span and viewing platform lifted into place in early June, followed by the pouring of the bridge’s concrete deck.
All temporary structures have been removed, including the dismantling of the world’s strongest tower crane, which lifted the bridge’s 95-metre mast and cable stay system into place.
Works will now shift to preparing the Kangaroo Point and CBD bridge entrances before opening to the public at the end of this year.
More than 500 metres of balustrading, furniture, seating and solar panels along the bridge’s covered walkway will also be installed.
New signalised pedestrian crossings have been completed at the CBD landing, boosting safety for walkers and cyclists accessing the bridge from the CBD.
A new Story Bridge underpass also recently opened, which will connect the Kangaroo Point Bridge to Brisbane’s eastern suburbs.
The finalisation of the Kangaroo Point Bridge follows the opening of the Breakfast Creek / Yowoggera Bridge in February this year, which currently supports over 700 bike trips and 2,400 pedestrian and e-mobility trips every day.
The Kangaroo Point Bridge will help reduce travel times by up to 50 per cent, cutting the commute between Brisbane’s eastern suburbs and the CBD by up to 15 minutes, or up to 30 minutes for pedestrians travelling from Kangaroo Point and the Gabba Stadium to the CBD.
The $299 million Kangaroo Point Bridge is a joint venture between the Australian Government and Brisbane City Council and is one of the first projects to be delivered under the landmark South East Queensland City Deal.
The bridge is expected to be open in late 2024.
For more information on the Bridges for Brisbane program, call Council on 07 3403 8888 or visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au.
Quotes attributable to Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner:
“The Kangaroo Point Bridge will become one of our city’s most recognisable landmarks when complete, but more importantly it will help keep Brisbane moving.
“Brisbane is one of Australia’s fastest growing cities and the Kangaroo Point Bridge will help take 84,000 cars off the road every year.
“We made a commitment to help people get home sooner and safer and that’s exactly what we’re doing.
“We’re also working with the Federal Government to build better roads and improve public transport, including the Moggill Road and Beams Road corridor upgrades and our turn-up-and-go Brisbane Metro.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:
“The Australian Government is working closely with state and local government partners to deliver meaningful projects and actions, ensuring our planning and investment come together to provide the best outcomes for the communities of SEQ.
“Our Government is delivering the infrastructure that Queensland needs. It’s great to see the Kangaroo Point Green Bridge almost complete, it’s going to provide better connections for Brisbane residents and our visitors.”
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Senator for Queensland Anthony Chisholm:
“Providing a connection between Kangaroo Point and the CBD has been in the works for decades and with around 6,000 pedestrians and cyclists expected to use this new crossing daily, it’s great to see the final modifications being made to the bridge before it opens later this year.
“It’s also great to hear that over 50 apprentices were given the opportunity to kick start their career on this project, which just goes to show that backing infrastructure projects like this one doesn’t just improve our commutes to and from work, it also supports local employment opportunities.
“The South East Queensland City Deal has made the Kangaroo Point Green Bridge possible and as we head toward the Olympics, partnerships between all levels of government are going to be crucial in delivering the infrastructure Brisbane needs.”
Quotes attributable to Brisbane City Council Chair for Transport Ryan Murphy:
“A bridge linking Kangaroo Point to the CBD has been talked about since the 1800s and now the Schrinner Council is making it a reality.
“The Kangaroo Point Bridge is the most significant investment into active transport in Brisbane’s history and will help to deliver the infrastructure our growing city needs.
“By providing more options for people to leave their car at home, we can help reduce congestion and help keep our city moving.”
