Cassowary Coast Regional Council

Engineering consultants who inspected the Jubilee Bridge in Innisfail earlier this month have recommended that the bridge be closed, if essential repairs cannot be undertaken within the next six to 12 months.

Findings from a report prepared by the engineering consultants, GHD Pty Ltd, were presented at a Cassowary Coast Regional Council meeting in Tully today.

The report also recommended that the load limit on bridge traffic immediately be reduced from 12 to five tonnes, due to the very poor condition of the bridge. This will effectively limit bridge traffic to passenger vehicles, 4WD’s, utilities, vans and small trucks and will generally prohibit all commercial traffic.

The council commissioned GHD Pty Ltd to undertake a detailed structural inspection of the bridge on 6 and 7 October, while it closed for repair work on a sewerage main.

The inspection found that the structural components of the bridge had continued to deteriorate since the last detailed inspection in 2003, with the deterioration now extending to further spans of the bridge.

The Jubilee Bridge, which spans the Johnstone River, links the eastern and southern suburbs of Innisfail with the Innisfail CBD, emergency and community services and to the western and northern suburbs of Innisfail. It also serves as an alternate route to the Bruce Highway.

CCRC Civil Works Director, David Trotter, who outlined the report findings at the council meeting, advised the council to reduce the load limit on the bridge, as recommended by GHD Pty Ltd. He also recommended that the council:

• Develop and implement a traffic management plan commensurate with the reduced load limit of five tonnes
• Develop and implement a public awareness program relating to the reduced load limit and alternative transport routes
• Advise the Department of Main Roads of the results of the bridge inspection and likely increase in traffic on the national highway and the Centenary Bridge – and suggest the department consider improvements to the Mourilyan Road – Bruce Highway intersection
• Advise other organisations, such as emergency services, Queensland Transport, public transport providers (e.g. bus companies) of the new restrictions
• Undertake further investigations to determine the most appropriate strategy for the repair and/or replacement of the Jubilee Bridge

For further information about the Jubilee Bridge report, please contact the council’s Engineering Department on 4030 2272.