Here’s what walking the council’s Story Bridge footpath detour is really like

When Brisbane City Council closed the Story Bridge’s footpaths – used by 4000 daily walkers, bike and scooter riders – it suggested people could detour via the Kangaroo Point Bridge.

With no end date in sight for the footpath closures, I tested the detour.

It was frustrating. But one thing is worse.

Let’s say I’m in Kangaroo Point and I want to go for a beer with a mate at Howard Smith Wharves.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the Kangaroo Point Bridge, and it’s far more popular than predicted – but by taking the detour, I’ve started off by heading in the opposite direction to Howard Smith Wharves and what should have been a trip of 10 minutes or so will be longer and less straightforward.

In the city, I have to wait at traffic lights, and the City Reach Boardwalk is closed between One Eagle and Riparian Plaza until late 2025 owing to the construction of Waterfront Brisbane.

The Brisbane City Council’s detour written directions on its website on Thursday morning said “at the signalised Charlotte and Creek Street intersection, turn right to rejoin the City Reach Boardwalk”. This path to the Boardwalk, seen here in a Google Street View image from September 2024, has been closed due to construction. The written directions were updated on council’s website on Thursday afternoon, following questions from this masthead.Credit: Google Street View, September 2024

You can’t turn directly right at the Charlotte and Creek Street traffic light intersection to get to the Boardwalk, as you used to be able to, as that route has been closed for construction, but you can walk up a bit further on the footpath past Riparian Plaza.

A council spokeswoman told me that now-closed link to the Boardwalk “was not part of the detour” and pointed to the detour map.

The Story Bridge detour map, posted at the Kangaroo Point Bridge.Credit: Felicity Caldwell

Riders of bikes or scooters who have to deal with stairs near Riparian Plaza or the Riverside Centre must take a weird path that winds back-and-forth, as well as tackle busy, often one-way streets, and awkwardly ride around pedestrians on the shared path on the Boardwalk.

The walk to Howard Smith Wharves took me about 35 minutes at a decent pace.

A bike rider told me the Story Bridge closure added up to 10 minutes to their work commute.

I could do the walking detour. But would you want to?

The weather wasn’t too hot on the day I did my “hot girl walk”. It was mostly a pleasant view but I noticed the lack of shade along the river.

I’m youngish and somewhat fit, and I found the whole journey irritating as I could see where I wanted to be, on the Story Bridge, almost the entire time.

It would be more challenging if you were pushing a pram, using a wheelchair or were elderly.

The windy path to navigate stairs near Riparian Plaza in Brisbane’s CBD.Credit: Chris Cox

I accept the Story Bridge needs major work, and detours are necessary if it is not safe.

A frustrating aspect is waiting for clarity on a reopening date – at the time of writing, the footpaths have been closed for 74 days.

Last week, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the first stage was starting footpath repairs, and the council was not waiting for the business case first.

The Story Bridge footpaths have been closed since March 5. The detour says to take the Kangaroo Bridge.Credit: Felicity Caldwell

That’s a relief, as a detailed business case for the full restoration is not due until 2027.

When the council released an update last week, its project website initially said the footpaths would “remain closed until late 2025”.

The timeframe was scrubbed the next day.

This masthead asked the council several questions, including why the date was deleted, and when it expected the footpaths to reopen, and was told “as soon as we have further information on the footpaths and detours we will let you know”.

In last week’s press release, when the Story Bridge Restoration Committee’s report was released, the council said along with the existing detour for cyclists and pedestrians using the Kangaroo Point Bridge, “other detour options will be considered”.

It is unclear which alternative route could be considered, as it must involve a river crossing, and the council did not provide more details when asked.

Closing a traffic lane on the Story Bridge for a temporary cyclist and pedestrian lane has been ruled out, with council saying it would cause widespread traffic issues on the Riverside Expressway, Inner City Bypass, Wynnum Road, Gympie Road and Stanley and Vulture streets.

The council said, in that press release, it would investigate “deploying a temporary structure on one path ahead of the full restoration of both”.

It has spent $80 million since 2019 to restore and prolong the bridge’s life, but without significant investment it says the bridge may need to be closed by 2045 and demolished, and it wants state and federal funding.

Major events on the footpaths were banned in January, and new assessments found sections of the path were “worse than previous reports had identified”, with water leaking through concrete.

For now, walking the detour remains an option. But I won’t bother again.

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