Current crossing seen as a safety hazard to all vehicles

It’s been a long time coming, but planning for a new $25 million Fitzroy River bridge, seen as critical to supporting industry growth flowing from the Rookwood Weir, is set to begin.

A new $25m bridge on the Fitzroy River will provide more immunity from floods to support industry emerging from the Rookwood Weir project.

It’s been a long time coming, but planning for a new $25 million Fitzroy River bridge, seen as critical to supporting industry growth flowing from the Rookwood Weir, is set to begin.

Rockhampton Regional Council, which began pursuing funding for the Glenroy Road Corridor Upgrade Project in 2018, is awaiting final approval from the Federal Government to allow it to start the detailed design process.

The Federal Government will then provide $20 million, with Rockhampton Region stumping up $5m, however a report to council at the most recent infrastructure committee stated until detailed geotechnical works and design were undertaken there wouldn’t be a high level of confidence in the project costs for the bridge structure.

“If the bridge costs significantly exceed budget, then a value engineering process will be undertaken to manage the scope of the design back to within the budget limits,” the report stated.

“(However) discussions have already occurred with the funding body for additional funds to cover cost escalations and these have been positive conversations.”

Roads of Strategic Importance funding of $20m was approved for the project in the 2022 Federal Budget however it was placed on hold by the new Labor Government pending the outcome of the government’s Infrastructure Program Review. It was reconfirmed by the Federal Government after a 90-day review in late 2023.

The report to council this week said the Glenroy Road was a rural arterial road within Rockhampton Region local government area, providing key access to local cattle properties and emerging agricultural industries enabled by Rookwood Weir (completed and operational in 2024).

It said the Glenroy Crossing of the Fitzroy River was a single lane concrete floodway structure of minimal flood immunity and had been rated as being in poor condition in council’s bridges and major culverts asset management plan.

The report to council said safety of all vehicles using the road was at risk due to current conditions and engineering, low flood immunity and number of roadside hazards.

Freight and agricultural efficiency was also at risk could be further impacted by increased volume of freight vehicles.

The project timeline anticipates construction to begin mid-2027 with completion in mid-2028.