Published Monday, 10 November, 2008 at 06:00 AM
Minister for Main Roads and Local Government
The Honourable Warren Pitt
Bundaberg-Lowmead Road timber bridges replaced
Safety on Bundaberg-Lowmead Road will be greatly improved with the replacement of two timber bridges over Yandaran and Cockatoo creeks at Avondale.
Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said the existing structures would be replaced with new concrete bridges on improved alignments.
“The new bridge alignments will significantly straighten out these particular sections of road by including more than 700 metres of new approaches to increase the visibility of oncoming vehicles,” Mr Pitt said.
“The bridges themselves will be constructed wider and higher for improved safety and greater flood immunity. This will help ensure traffic on Bundaberg-Lowmead Road is affected less during future flooding events.
“With a design life of 100 years, the upgraded bridges will be able to accommodate for the increasing number of motorists on this key transport link well into the future.”
The existing road will remain in use during construction, under reduced speed signs and changed traffic conditions. Work on the two bridges and their approaches is expected to start this month and is due for completion in May 2009, weather permitting.
The Cockatoo and Yandaran Creek bridges are two of four timber bridges located on the Bundaberg-Lowmead Road currently being replaced with new concrete structures.
The other two bridges at Mullet and Littabella Creeks will also have their existing timber structures replaced with concrete before the end of January 2009, weather permitting.
These bridge works are being funded through the Southern Queensland Accelerated Road Rehabilitation Program (SQARRP), a Main Roads bridge upgrade initiative.
Under the SQARRP bridge project, 31 timber bridges on the state-controlled road network in southern Queensland will be replaced with concrete structures to assist in managing future freight and traffic demands.
“These 31 bridges were selected based on their strategic location along the state-controlled road network, their condition, and the improved value to the road network that replacing them will bring,” Mr Pitt said.
"The timber taken from the bridges during their upgrades will be recycled by the department for the use in rehabilitation and repair works on other timber bridges in Queensland in the future."
The SQARRP project is expected to be completed by December 2009, weather permitting.
Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819
Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said the existing structures would be replaced with new concrete bridges on improved alignments.
“The new bridge alignments will significantly straighten out these particular sections of road by including more than 700 metres of new approaches to increase the visibility of oncoming vehicles,” Mr Pitt said.
“The bridges themselves will be constructed wider and higher for improved safety and greater flood immunity. This will help ensure traffic on Bundaberg-Lowmead Road is affected less during future flooding events.
“With a design life of 100 years, the upgraded bridges will be able to accommodate for the increasing number of motorists on this key transport link well into the future.”
The existing road will remain in use during construction, under reduced speed signs and changed traffic conditions. Work on the two bridges and their approaches is expected to start this month and is due for completion in May 2009, weather permitting.
The Cockatoo and Yandaran Creek bridges are two of four timber bridges located on the Bundaberg-Lowmead Road currently being replaced with new concrete structures.
The other two bridges at Mullet and Littabella Creeks will also have their existing timber structures replaced with concrete before the end of January 2009, weather permitting.
These bridge works are being funded through the Southern Queensland Accelerated Road Rehabilitation Program (SQARRP), a Main Roads bridge upgrade initiative.
Under the SQARRP bridge project, 31 timber bridges on the state-controlled road network in southern Queensland will be replaced with concrete structures to assist in managing future freight and traffic demands.
“These 31 bridges were selected based on their strategic location along the state-controlled road network, their condition, and the improved value to the road network that replacing them will bring,” Mr Pitt said.
"The timber taken from the bridges during their upgrades will be recycled by the department for the use in rehabilitation and repair works on other timber bridges in Queensland in the future."
The SQARRP project is expected to be completed by December 2009, weather permitting.
Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819