Story Bridge Brisbane: Likely repair bill revealed

The likely cost of fixing massive structural problems on the Story Bridge has emerged, with the threat of a toll or levy if Brisbane City Council is forced to fund it alone.

• What you said about Story Bridge demise

Fixing massive structural problems on the Story Bridge could cost about $350m, with neither the state nor federal government declaring whether they will chip in.

If more cashed-up levels of government refuse to help restore the 85-year-old bridge, Brisbane City Council would have to impose toll road fees or impose a special levy on ratepayers -options Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said were unfair.

A new independent report commissioned by Brisbane City Council, and exclusively revealed by The Courier-Mail, showed the heritage-listed Story Bridge was in a desperate need for a once-in-a-generation overhaul.

The true cost and timing of the major undertaking won’t be known until a detailed business case is completed.

But the price tag could be close to $350m based on the cost of restoring a similar bridge in Canada.

The Jacques Cartier Bridge, which is 10 years older than its Brisbane counterpart and more than three times longer, received a deck reconstruction more than a decade ago which cost the equivalent of $A225m in today’s dollars.

It also was repainted and strengthened in recent years at a cost of about $120m, highlighting the cost of prolonging the Story Bridge’s life.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said his preferred funding option was state and federal assistance and that a ratepayer levy was unfair as nearly half of the traffic on the icon came from motorists living outside Brisbane.

But Deputy Premier and Infrastructure Minister Jarrod Bleijie signalled the state government would need to be convinced.

“I’m sure that if the Lord Mayor wants any funding or support from the federal or state government, then he’ll have to put in formal requests for that funding,” Mr Bleijie said.

“I see the 20 year life span on the Story Bridge, but there are lots of infrastructure across South East Queensland and across Queensland that the state government are investing in.

“But ultimately ... it’s a council asset, the council are responsible for the asset, so we’ve not considered funding it yet, because it’s a council asset.”

Mr Schrinner said he had spoken with federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King who had told him the bridge was second only to the Sydney Harbour Bridge as a national icon.

Ms King said the bridge was a “Brisbane icon that holds a special place in the hearts of many Queenslanders’’.

“That is why the Albanese Labor Government invested $2.25 million in the recent Budget to investigate what is required for its restoration,’’ she said.

“This is important planning work which will inform the scope, costs and timing of the project.”

Any further funding requests would be considered through the usual Budget process.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner at the release of the Story Bridge Restoration Committee report. Picture: David Clark

The RACQ said it opposed a toll and pointed out that the state and federal governments had vastly more revenue sources than council.

“The RACQ does not support introducing a toll or believe it is appropriate to bring in tolls purely for financial reasons, they can distort traffic and are unfair for drivers.

“It’s important to note that we already have a toll on the Clem 7 which is the same cross river route, and it would be unfair to have another toll on the alternative route.”.

Mr Schrinner also confirmed reopening both footpaths would take several more months, with netting to be installed under the structure from next week to stop concrete falling on to CityCats.

He told council’s weekly meeting that an internal report which the Opposition claimed was released on March 5, just days before Cyclone Alfred hit, called for immediate closing of the footpaths due to concrete cancer and rusting steel reinforcing.

But he denied claims from Opposition Leader Jared Cassidy that council had tried to use the cyclone as “cover’’ to buy time to fix the footpaths.

Mr Cassidy said the bridge’s problems emerged as far back as 2019 when council called fixed-price tenders to repair the bridge, which will be a century old in 2040.

He said the tenderers asked for millions more once they realised the scale of the issues but council instead cancelled the tender and announced it would do the work in-house.

The Brisbane icon is falling to the ravages of time. Picture: David Clark

However, that stopped in 2022 as costs escalated, he said.

Mr Schrinner slapped down the comments, saying the Story Bridge Restoration Committee’s expert report, released on Monday, had vindicated council’s management of the bridge.

The report also said that the works carried out from 2020 had uncovered that much larger works were needed to ensure the structure lasted another century.

He said council began restoration works, including repainting and removal of lead paint, soon after he became Lord Mayor, brushing off criticism that hundreds of millions had been spent on two new green bridges.

“The original tender was for repainting the Story Bridge,’’ a spokeswoman said.

“Because council had the expertise, a decision was made to manage this project in-house using some external workers.

“The scope of this project was progressively expanded to include more extensive works including repairs and strengthening, recoating the steel beams and a specialist system to contain lead paint.’’

Mr Cassidy said Mr Schrinner had allowed Brisbane’s most iconic landmark to rot while

prioritising flashy headlines, new projects and opening parties.

Council opposition leader Jared Cassidy

“He has tried to sweep this issue under the rug, hoping residents would never know how bad it is,” he said.

“The Story Bridge was deemed an at-risk structure in 2016.

“In 2019 council committed $80m to restore it but as costs blew out, they priorities other new projects instead.’’

Howard Smith Wharves, which operates popular bars and restaurants at the northern end of the bridge, declined to comment on any impact the footpath closure had had on patronage.

Story Bridge Hotel owner Richard Deery, whose pub is at the southern approach to the bridge, was contacted for comment.

Mr Schrinner and restoration committee member Peter Brunton and chair Nigel Chamier reassured the public that the road surface was safe.

The Lord Mayor said the footpath concrete was only 10cm thick and its steel reinforcing bars, which had begun to rust, were only 6mm thick.

He said loads had already been lightened on the road surface, with trucks banned from the left hand lanes.

The amount council was seeking from the federal and state governments was not revealed at a press conference yesterday and Mr Schrinner conceded he was not expecting any promises from them until a business case, funded by the Commonwealth, was completed.

Story Bridge: 80 years in 54 pictures

VIEW GALLERY

Originally published as Story Bridge Brisbane: Likely repair bill revealed