NEW BRIDGE OVER KINGSFORD SMITH DRIVE TAKES SHAPE

Workers have reached the halfway mark on a project to lift 20 huge 85 tonne beams into place for a new bridge being built over Kingsford Smith Drive as part of the Gateway Upgrade Project.

Inspecting work on the project today, Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Paul Lucas said it was a massive achievement.

“When finished this bridge will form a key component of the State Government’s $1.9 billion Gateway Upgrade Project,” Mr Lucas said.

“It’s a vital part of the six-land, 7km of new motorway that runs north from the Gateway Bridge, into a new Airport Drive interchange and to Nudgee Road.

“These 40m long ‘super-tee’ beams are the single longest bridge components on any part of the motorway upgrade.

“Since Thursday night, crews have been delicately lifting and fitting these beams into place.

“To put it in context - the combined weight of the two F-111s that will fly over Brisbane for RiverFire tonight is less than just one of these beams.”

Mr Lucas said between Thursday and Sunday nights 36 beams that would form the bridge decking would be installed. Over the four nights, they will lift 20 of the 85 tonne super-tee beams and 16 shorter beams into place.

“Construction is staged to ensure there are minimal impacts during the daytime from these works,” Mr Lucas said.

Mr Lucas said in addition to the new Gateway Bridge there were more than 26 elevated structures on the project, each requiring similar super-tee beams. Approximately 1000 super-tee beams will be cast for use across the entire 19km upgrade.

Mr Lucas said since March 2007, extra lanes and other improvements had been progressively opened on the Gateway Motorway between the toll plaza and Wynnum Road.

These works - designed to ease congestion and improve traffic flow - include:

• an upgraded Wynnum Road/Gateway Motorway interchange,
• two extra lanes from the Port of Brisbane on-ramp to Wynnum Roads,
• a dual off-ramp from the Gateway Motorway to Wynnum Road, and
• a continuous third land from the Lytton Rd overpass to the Port of Brisbane on-ramp

Mr Lucas said further traffic improvements were expected within a fortnight with the opening of a third lane on the Gateway Motorway over Wynnum Roads.

The delivery of the third lane, which is 500m long, has been brought forward a year and will add to the early benefits being experienced by Gateway motorists.

“It provides extra lane capacity over Wynnum Road before merging back to two lanes just north of the Motorway on-ramp,” Mr Lucas said.

“This will help relieve the bottleneck during peak times when traffic currently merges before crossing the bridge.”

Mr Lucas said most of the widening and additional lanes either side of the bridge were on track to be completed in 2009. The new Gateway Bridge is expected to open in 2010 with a revamped existing bridge opening in 2011, following a six month upgrade.

Media inquiries: Robert Hoge 0419 757 868