Main Roads paves the way in timber conservation

Main Roads has introduced an innovative recycling scheme to use timber saved from bridge replacements on other bridge maintenance projects.

Under its Southern Queensland Accelerated Road Rehabilitation Project (SQARRP), Main Roads is fast-tracking the replacement of 31 older timber bridges with new concrete structures.

Main Roads' construction arm, RoadTek, is retaining the timber by carefully dismantling the bridges and making the materials available for use in the maintenance of other bridges in southern Queensland.

Main Roads Minister Warren Pittsaid the initiative showed Main Roads was committed to innovation and conservation practices.

“Conserving scarce hardwood timber is just one way in which Main Roads is helping to preserve Queensland's natural future,” Mr Pitt said.

"In the past, timber bridges have been reconstructed or repaired using scarce and valuable new hardwood resources.

"Through salvaging the excess timber, RoadTek has been able to use it to repair and rehabilitate other timber bridges on the state-controlled road network.”

Mr Pitt said while the salvaged timber was currently being used on a number of small projects they would be looking to more opportunities to recycle in the future.

“For example, Main Roads will soon be doing a full rehabilitation of the Redbank 3 timber bridge on the Esk-Hampton Road near Esk using material retrieved from some of the SQARRP bridges.”

A total of 18 of the 31 bridges identified under SQARRP have been replaced.

Mr Pitt said the accelerated program, which upgraded bridges and approaches to improve flood immunity, load capacity and safety, was progressing well.

"Delivered through an alliance, SQARRP packages a number of what would usually be individual projects into one bulked-up program that pools materials, labour and specialist expertise,” he said.

"Replacing 31 bridges under a regular schedule could have taken about 14 to 15 years.

"Under SQARRP, the project will be completed in mid-2009 – only two years since the construction phase of the project first began.”

Construction on the bridges involved in the $126.5 million SQARRP initiative began in May 2007.

The bridges were selected on the basis of their location on key transportation routes, current condition and potential for improved road user value.

Mr Pitt said many of the timber bridges were built more than 60 years ago and were costly to maintain.

"These bridges have experienced traffic volumes in excess of their original capacity, all bearing modern load weights.

"Through accelerating the bridge program, we are looking at saving time and resources. The amount of decking timber salvaged from one bridge alone can be up to 360 square metres."

NB. Photographs of salvaged timber and decking are available.

Media contact: Minister Pitt's Office    3227 8819