ASF plans to revive Southport’s Jubilee Bridge 50 years after the original closed

A MULTI-million dollar modern revival of Southport’s historic Jubilee Bridge will be the centrepiece of the proposed solution to traffic congestion on The Spit.

ASF consortium's supplied images of their Gold Coast Integrated Resort with proposed hotel, casino resort development to be built on land between Sea World and Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast

A MULTI-million dollar revival of Southport’s historic Jubilee Bridge is being spruiked as the saviour to The Spit’s much-touted traffic congestion woes.

The ASF Consortium, as part of its $3 billion integrated resort proposal, wants to widen SeaWorld Drive from two lanes and build a bridge in the southern Broadwater.

It plans to work with the Gold Coast City Council’s major projects unit on the proposal.

The bridge will be built by 2021, nearly a century after the original wooden structure was constructed.

According to preliminary plans, the bridge will follow the route of the original bridge and cross from near Queen St, Southport, and land near Southport Yacht Club in Main Beach.

The “core infrastructure”, including the bridge, would be funded by ASF.

The official opening of the Jubilee bridge, from Southport to Main Beach, on November 25, 1925. Bridge engineer George Brindell pushed a wheelbarrow to prove two vehicles could pass on the new bridge.

ASF director Louis Chien said more details of the consortium’s plans to improve traffic flow in the area would be released in coming weeks.

“We have come up with a traffic solution for the project, which is scalable and will deliver legacy infrastructure for the city. Traffic modelling has future proofed this solution,” he said.

“A lot of ideas and thought have been put into this bridge and we could turn it into something spectacular.

“It would allow for improved connection of the Southport business district with The Spit and the location of the bridge would have the least impact on the boaties and the environment.”

ASF hopes to begin construction shortly after the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Southport councillor Dawn Crichlow slammed the proposal and said she could not support the bridge.

A traffic jam on the old Jubilee Bridge.

“This bridge is not a workable or necessary solution and I cannot see any reason at all to support it,” she said.

“They are only doing this because they want to build these high-rises and they are just kidding themselves.”

Traffic congestion has been a major sticking point for new development on The Spit. It one of the major points of debate for Sunland’s $600 million, 44-storey twin tower project The Marriner, which has been put on hold for a year until a masterplan can be developed for The Spit.

Sunland’s proposed traffic solutions included upgrading Sundale bridge and new slip lanes through Main Beach.

1950: Homeward-bound after Easter on the Gold Coast: Vehicles on the Pacific Highway at Southport's Jubilee Bridge.

Council will look into upgrading Sundale Bridge. A decision will be made next year.

Acting Mayor Donna Gates said a traffic solution was critical to making the ASF proposal successful.

“We need to carefully look at all aspects of it with a mind towards the opportunities it will create,” she said last night.

“The traffic solution has not yet come before councillors.”

The original Jubilee Bridge, the first connection across the Nerang River, was built in 1924 and opened a year later.

It was replaced in December 1966 by the modern Sundale Bridge and demolished the following year.

Yesterday’s announcement came just days after the 50th anniversary of the bridge’s closure.