Community festival planned for Maroochy River Bridge opening

Sunshine Coast residents will be given the chance to walk over the new Maroochy River Bridge on Saturday, 8 December, as part of a special community festival to celebrate the bridge’s opening.

Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt, who inspected work on the bridge today, said the BridgeFest celebration would be a fun-filled family afternoon to acknowledge a significant infrastructure milestone for the Sunshine Coast.

"BridgeFest will include entertainment and attractions such as street performers, bands, a live radio broadcast and food stalls," Mr Pitt said.

“The festival provides the perfect opportunity for locals to walk across the new bridge before it is opened to traffic and take in the views of the Maroochy River and surrounding areas."

Mr Pitt, who will return to the Sunshine Coast next week to attend BridgeFest, said the bridge duplication was a key plank of the Queensland Government’s $290 million Sunshine Motorway upgrade.

“More than 34,000 motorists cross the river daily and that figure is expected to double during the next 25 years, making the new bridge a crucial investment in the future," he said.

The new bridge will be opened to traffic in the week commencing 17 December 2007, weather permitting

Parking for the BridgeFest event will be available at Fishermans Road, where shuttle buses will transport visitors to the bridge.

Festivities will begin with a ribbon-cutting at 3pm and will end about 6pm.

Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819