Story Bridge footpath closure ordered before cyclone, fix coming

Independent Councillor Nicole Johnston has claimed it could take up to seven months for the Story Bridge footpaths to reopen following the release of a shock report.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner at a press conference on the Story Bridge. Picture David Clark

Welcome to the live blog of today’s Brisbane City Council meeting.

A temporary fix will allow footpaths on the Story Bridge to reopen in several months, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has revealed, after the discovery pieces of concrete were falling into the river.

Netting would be installed under the bridge from next week and be finished in a few months but there had been no reports of incidents so far.

Mr Schrinner said a toll to pay for “hundreds and hundreds of millions’’ to fix the bridge ahead of its centenary in 2040 was not his preferred funding model.

It comes as the Opposition said a report days before Cyclone Alfred hit called for the immediate closure of both footpaths on the Story Bridge, on March 5.

A council spokeswoman denied such a report existed.

Originally published as Story Bridge footpath closure ordered before cyclone, fix coming