Bribie Island bridge: Questions over lifespan of $750m refurb

A business case for the $750m duplication and continuation of the Bribie Island bridge has failed to mention how long the bridge would be able to operate safely.

The view to the Bribie Island bridge from Bongaree

A $756m plan to duplicate and continue using the decades-old Bribie Island bridge hinges on an end of life that is not possible to forecast, according the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Released last week, the business case conducted by TMR recommended the state government spend hundreds of millions of dollars to build a second two-lane bridge to Bribie Island instead of a four-lane replacement of the existing 62-year-old bridge.

However, the business case failed to mention how long the bridge would be able to operate safely.

After posing questions to both the Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg and TMR on the exact date the bridge is expected to see its end of life, the department said it was “not possible to forecast an exact end of life date” as it would depend “on the bridge’s performance and appropriate ongoing maintenance”.

“The Bribie Island bridge is performing as is typical of a bridge structure in a marine environment.

“Maintenance activities are scheduled for mid-year to ensure the ongoing integrity of the structure, ensuring the bridge can continue to carry traffic for the foreseeable future,” a spokesperson for TMR said.

It is estimated to cost $756.56 million to construct the new two-lane bridge and would be designed to enable future widening to four lanes when the existing bridge is “no longer cost effective to maintain”.

The projected cost of the four-lane option is unknown, but TMR said the business case “provides the most rigorous and up-to-date cost information that supported decision making”.

Last week Mr Mickelberg said the state government would commit to constructing the duplicate bridge.

Originally published as Bribie Island bridge: Questions over lifespan of $750m refurb