Both Story Bridge footpaths closed indefinitely for safety tests

Both of the hugely popular pedestrian and cycling footpaths on Brisbane’s landmark Story Bridge closed without warning days before Cyclone Alfred, with no reopening date known. Here’s why.

Both Story Bridge footpaths were closed on March 5 and will remain shut for at least a few more weeks. Picture: Jeff Rodwell

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Both of the hugely popular pedestrian and cycling footpaths on Brisbane’s landmark Story Bridge closed on March 5, with no reopening date known.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner did not answer questions at a press conference on Tuesday about why both paths had to be closed at the same time.

The sudden closure has drawn widespread criticism from thousands of cyclists, e-scooter riders and pedestrians who used the bridge for their daily commute to work.

The nearest pedestrian and cycle crossing was the new Kangaroo Point green bridge, a 2.5km hike through CBD streets on the northern approach.

The riverwalk on that stretch of the Brisbane River has been closed since last year for construction on the Dexus twin-tower residential highrises on the old Riparian Plaza site, now demolished.

Cyclists have to detour along the City Reach Boardwalk near the Story Bridge, then bypass construction work using city streets before crossing at the Kangaroo Point green bridge. Picture: AAP/Regi Varghese

On the southern approach there is an equally long diversion along the riverfront bike and pedestrian pathway at the base of the Kangaroo Point cliffs. That, also, was partly closed last week for re-painting.

Mr Schrinner said the footpath investigation works began after council received $2.25m in federal funding to assess the state of the Story Bridge.

He has repeatedly called on the state and federal governments to chip in for a long-term upgrade of the bridge, saying similar crossings such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco were state funded.

“We had to close those footpaths... during those windy (Cyclone Alfred) days and also (during) the rain that came after,’’ Mr Schrinner said.

“So that was about people being safe during the weather event.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner (centre, white shirt) at a tourism anouncement at Howard Smith Wharves on March 18 where he talked about the Story Bridge. Picture: Steve Pohlner

“But what we’ve done is used the opportunity now, because we have money from the federal government to progress our business case and restoration plan.

“As part of that work we need to do technical assessments on various parts of the bridge.

“The footpath is the first place that we’re doing testing and assessments.

“We need the footpath to be closed while we do those assessments.

“While we’re expecting it’ll be a few weeks potentially that it will be closed, if there is any change I’ll let (residents) know.’’

Council infrastructure chair Andrew Wines said while council recognised the closure would inconvenience people, safety must be the top priority.

But Space4Cycling lobby group posted on Facebook that the twin closures meant some people could not get to work.

They said the closure was poorly advertised and the original signage at one footpath advised commuters to use the opposite path, which was closed. A map showed a detour using the closed riverwalk.

“What is normally a short walk or ride between Kangaroo Point, East Brisbane or Woolloongabba and Fortitude Valley, Spring Hill or Bowen Hills has become much longer, more difficult and, for some, completely infeasible,’’ they posted.

“Closing the footpaths on the Story Bridge is not just a minor inconvenience — for some people it is the difference between being able to go to work or not.’’

Labor Opposition Leader said there was “something fishy’’ about the closure of both footpaths.

“This LNP council cannot be trusted. How can they blame the cyclone for damage on the bridge when it closed days before the weather event occurred?’’ he said.

“Testing on other major structures across Brisbane has been complete following the cyclone, so why hasn’t the Story Bridge been looked at yet?

“We know maintaining the Story Bridge is a responsibility of Council and that the Lord Mayor has bungled it.

“The Story Bridge is falling down under Adrian Schrinner and Brisbane residents should be outraged.’’

Originally published as Both Story Bridge footpaths closed indefinitely for safety tests