Gold Coast ghost railway bridge: it will be open earlier than expected after engineers solve problem

A bridge which will ease traffic at one of the Gold Coast’s worst congestion hot-spots is now expected to open to vehicles much sooner after an innovative move.

AN abandoned bridge over the railway line at Pimpama will be open to cars before Christmas after council traffic engineers found a way to fast track an upgrade.

The Gold Coast City Council in its budget in June announced work would start on the bridge after a campaign from the Bulletin and developer Norm Rix to fix traffic gridlock in the city’s fastest growing suburb.

The abandoned bridge at Pimpama. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

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A report discussed in closed session by councillors reveals Queensland Rail, which owns the bridge first built in 1993, had wanted to increase the size of the bridge barriers and lengths of the steel roadside approaches.

Council officers said the request for changes in proposed works would have led to “a considerable increase in the scope of design and construction”.

Upgrading the bridge barriers would have required a rail corridor shutdown which takes up to 12 months to program in advance.

“With considerable structural engineering input, City Assets Branch has managed to develop a revised scope without the requirement to demolish the deck units under a rail corridor shutdown,” the council report said.

“This has enabled the works to be fast tracked to completion in October and significantly reduced the cost of the works.”

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Coomera MP Michael Crandon and developer Norm Rix photographed when lobbying to get the bridge opened for residents. Picture: Jerad Williams.

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Construction work on the eastern road approach was being completed by the Mirvac Group Limited as part of developer works in the Gainsborough Greens estate.

Work on the western side was being organised by the land’s owners, Rix Developments, and negotiated as part of the trunk infrastructure process.

Gainsborough Greens residents believe the opening of the bridge would significantly reduce traffic congestion and the amount of time motorists access congested Yawalpah Road to get onto the Pacific Motorway, the report said.

Construction works should be completed by October, depending on the weather, and council predicts the bridge would be open by December.

But experienced developer Norm Rix was confident of a much shorter timeline as council went out to tender for the project on his land.

“We will start work up there in the next two or three weeks. We are hoping to have it finished by November,” Mr Rix said.

Developer Norm Rix believes the next part of the solution to fix traffic gridlock will be to build a railway station at Pimpama. Picture: Jerad Williams.

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“Mirvac have actually completed their work. Donna Gates (the Deputy Mayor and area councillor) and the council have been most co-operative on this. It’s only through their hard work that we will see this project completed and the bridge opened up by November.

“It will relieve the traffic congestion on Yawalpah Road. What we need next is for the railway station to be built. The railway department has spoken to the Gold Coast City Council and the council spoke to me, and I understand it will be on my land.”