Warrego Highway (Ipswich - Toowoomba), Bremer River Bridge, strengthening

The Bremer River Bridge project includes critical rehabilitation and strengthening repair works, including bridge re-decking, to extend the life of the existing westbound bridge structure.

The Bremer River crossing, Warrego Highway, Karalee comprises of two bridges, a steel girder bridge (westbound) and a concrete girder bridge (eastbound).

Bremer River Bridge (westbound) has been operational since January 1958 and supports around 30,000 westbound vehicles per day, with just over 4,000 of these being heavy vehicles.

We have undertaken structural inspections of the Bremer River Bridge (westbound) and these inspections have identified that fatigue cracks exist in the steel girders.

Rehabilitation works will now take place including re-decking the main bridge spans and some propping works to the westbound bridge are required to bring the existing structure to its original capacity, and to facilitate the removal of the current vehicle speed and mass restrictions.

Further rehabilitation and strengthening works, expected to commence in 2025, will extend the life of the existing bridge structure.

To ensure road user safety, we have imposed travel conditions and load restrictions, and reduced speed limits which will continue to be in place on the westbound bridge while works are undertaken.

Travel and load restrictions will be enforced as per the Heavy Vehicle National Law Act 2012 and the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995.

Benefits

  • Improves safety
  • Improves network efficiency
  • Better road access
  • Contributes to regional growth

Key features

  • For safety reasons, load restrictions and reduced speed limits will continue to be in place on the westbound bridge.
  • Installation of 2 crossovers in the centre median either side of the bridge to ensure oversize overmass (OSOM) vehicle movements can be maintained. The crossovers allow OSOM vehicles to use the eastbound bridge for westbound travel.
  • Traffic signals for the crossovers have been installed to eliminate the need for on-ground traffic control and expedite night time oversize overmass (OSOM) vehicle movements. The traffic signals are for operation at night outside of peak hours. Oversize overmass (OSOM) vehicles will cross to the other side of the bridge via the median crossings, while general traffic is held at a red traffic signal at each end.

Funding

The Queensland Government has committed $42.5 million towards these essential works and secured matching funding from the Australian Government, bringing the total funding amount to $85 million.

Total investment
$85 million
Australian Government
$42.5 million
Queensland Government
$42.5 million

Current status

We are progressing with short term and medium term solutions including load restrictions and reduced speed limits.

Rehabilitation works are being planned and expected to commence 2025.

Warrego Highway (Ipswich – Toowoomba), Bremer River Bridge, strengthening project location map

Bremer River Bridge project location map
Map showing the location of the Bremer River Bridge on the Warrego Highway at Karalee. There are 2 solid blue parallel lines, 1 is the eastbound bridge and 1 is the westbound bridge and primary project location. There are 2 dotted blue lines at each end of the bridge showing the location of the median crossovers.