Concerns over detour plan during closure of Walter Taylor bridge, Indooroopilly

One of Brisbane’s busiest bridges is about to close for two weeks, with concerns raised over detour plans.

• Quirky history of Brisbane icon

Indooroopilly’s Walter Taylor Bridge could reopen several days earlier than planned if work starting Friday night goes well.

The closure, for essential maintenance, is also unlikely to have to be extended past the planned reopening late this month.

New details have also emerged about traffic management along part of the main detour at Jindalee, but a councillor raised concerns about the Oxley Rd/Cook St intersection in Oxley.

Council sent out flyers last month announcing that the bridge would fully close for up to 17 days, from 9pm Friday, September 12, until 5am on September 30.

The ageing structure has regularly been reduced to one lane for maintenance work in recent years but this would be the first full closure of the 1936-era bridge since 2013 (two days) and before that in 1993 (two weeks).

Motorists are facing a huge detour along Oxley Rd, Cook St, 17 Mile Rocks Rd and the Centenary Mwy, coming off at the Moggill Rd exit to Indooroopilly roundabout.

Buses affected included the 598/599 Great Circle Line, 105, 106 and 108.

Trains would run as normal, with some changes to services this weekend due to Cross River Rail works.

Preliminary work has already started at the Walter Taylor Bridge including closure of the footbridge. Picture: Celeste Muller

Temporary bus stops would be in place, with local Tennyson ward Councillor Nicole Johnston welcoming a new bus stop at Graceville railway station.

That station had a lift for people with mobility issues but Sherwood station, previously announced as a temporary bus stop location, only had stairs.

Infrastructure committee chair Councillor Andrew Wines said on Friday that additional traffic control measures would be in place near Jindalee DFO at a roundabout and approach road for the nearby Centenary Mwy to ensure a smooth flow of vehicles.

Ms Johnston welcomed that but claimed traffic flow measures were much more critical for the Oxley Rd/Cook St intersection in her ward.

“I’m disappointed Council has no temporary traffic measures there as it will come under enormous pressure,’’ she said.

“Council must also ensure that the maintenance is done quickly and efficiently to minimise disruption.’’

The new hi-tech decking material.

Mr Wines said her previous claim that the work should be done during the December/January school holidays was not the best option for a number of reasons.

That included the need to pour a critical resin sealant at a time of year when temperatures were low enough for it to cure.

He said bad weather was also much more likely in summer, while traders at Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, on the northern approaches to the bridge, relied heavily on the Christmas/New Year period.

Mr Wines said the bridge would not have to be fully closed again until about 2040.

Mr Miney (left) and Mr Wines with a sample of the new decking material. Picture: Celeste Muller

The essential works would extend the heritage-listed bridge’s lifespan by many more decades.

“The complexity of these works mean they must be completed around the clock,’’ he said.

“The bridge cannot be in use as road vibrations and additional weight caused by traffic could jeopardise the final structural integrity of the works.

“I know these works will mean many people have to temporarily change the way they travel and I want to thank residents for their patience and understanding while we deliver this essential maintenance on this historical bridge.’’

Mr Wines and Council bridges engineer Glen Miney said noisy operations would be limited as much as possible between 11pm and 5am.

Three shifts of workers would carry out the maintenance 24 hours a day to speed up the reopening.

TWalter Taylor Bridge, Indooroopilly. Picture: Liam Kidston

Mr Miney said while the foot bridge had already been closed to allow preliminary work to start, including installation of scaffolding, the adjacent Jack Pesch cycle bridge would remain open at all times.

If ambulance or police vehicles needed to cross in an emergency, traffic controllers would stop pedestrians and cyclists while that happened.

Fire trucks were too heavy to use the Jack Pesch structure and would have to divert to other routes.

More than $6.8 million has been invested in the Walter Taylor Bridge over the past five years, with a further $2.2 million worth of maintenance work now under way.

Deck slab joint repairs have been completed annually under full overnight closures for the past 10 years.

The highly technical works included removing the existing layer of road asphalt and resealing more than 200m of concrete joints on the bridge deck, before applying a waterproofing layer and resurfacing the road.

A full closure is required to minimise vibrations on the bridge deck while the critical resin sealant set and to reduce load limits while completing cable works.

The closure also ensured safety of workers as excavators, bobcats and trucks would need to manoeuvre constantly on and around the narrow two-lane bridge.

The current works have been in planning for several months in consultation with the State Government Department of Transport and Main Roads, Translink, Queensland Rail, Cross River Rail Delivery Authority and Queensland emergency services.

Mr Wines said residents had been alerted via several letterbox drops, electronic signage, radio announcements, text and email alerts.

For more information visit council’s website and search “Walter Taylor Bridge’’ or call Council on 3403 8888.