Currumbin Teemangum Street bridge replacement open to the public

The long-awaited Currumbin Teemangum Street bridge has finally opened.

Construction of a new bridge over tiny Flat Rock Creek at Currumbin. Picture: Greg Stolz

A southern Gold Coast bridge – called “an absolute embarrassment” by residents – has officially opened after more than a year of construction.

The Currumbin Teemangum Street bridge replacement opened on Friday morning after its initial Wednesday launch was pushed back by rainfall.

The $10.1 million project has been the subject of ongoing controversy, with work on the popular Flat Rock Creek bridge meant to finish in August but hampered by “construction shortages”.

The bridge went under construction in December 2022 to “improve road safety, increase active travel connectivity, maintain-on-street parking, reduce flood-risk and better manage the water flow from creek to ocean”.

Construction of a new bridge over tiny Flat Rock Creek at Currumbin, now reopened. Picture: Greg Stolz

Thanks to delays, the eventual construction was estimated to cost $500,000 a metre.

Currumbin residents took to social media on Friday morning to say “hooray” after the road had completely blocked thoroughfare for more than a year.

On Wednesday, a GCCC spokesperson confirmed the opening would be delayed.

“While the street was due to reopen today, Wednesday 6 March, rainfall earlier in the week caused delays to certain works such as line markings,” they said.

“Safety is our No. 1 priority and it is important to driver and pedestrian safety that this work is complete before the road is reopened.”

The spokesperson confirmed the construction of the bridge was finished, however, they would still be working on revegetating the area for up to two months.

Construction of a new bridge over tiny Flat Rock Creek at Currumbin on the Southern Glitter Strip.

“Construction delays were experienced due to labour and skilled subcontractor shortages and material supply,” they said.

Gold Coast resident Pretzel Pete shared his disappointment about the project on Facebook.

“An absolute embarrassment. A project which should have taken a month at absolute most is perilously close to taking a year.”

Gold Coaster Sue Tolan said that the construction was putting “so much more pressure” on the Gold Coast Highway.

“As the locals could just zip through to Tugun,” she commented on a Facebook post.

“But not now. Why has it taken so long to finish.”

Fellow resident Tony Holden said “this has been the most unnecessary work I’ve ever seen in my 35 years on the Coast”.

“Whoever is overseeing this mess needs to go.

“The whole M1 from Tugun is taking less time.”

Construction of a new bridge over tiny Flat Rock Creek at Currumbin on the Southern Glitter Strip which dragged into a third calendar year.

The content summaries were created with the assistance of AI technology then edited and approved for publication by an editor.

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