Community
27 September, 2024
Bridge’s two lanes re-open
THE Barron River Bridge at Kuranda has re-opened to two lanes with a 42.5 tonne load limit.
As a precaution, the bridge was shut earlier this year after inspections in May 2024 identified previously unidentified issues with the Macalloy bars, which were installed in 1963.
The Macalloy post-tensioning bars were retrofitted to provide extra strength after the bridge opened to traffic earlier that year.
TMR implemented a single lane operation of the bridge to ensure safety for the crew and road users while further investigations and work to protect the Macalloy bars were carried out.
TMR has applied a protective wrap to the affected areas of the Macalloy bars. Investigations on the bridge and laboratory tests have confirmed that the Macalloy bars may remain in place until a long-term solution is implemented. The Miles Labor government has committed $450 million to construct a new Barron River Bridge if re-elected.
Transport and Main Roads Minister Bart Mellish said safety was “our number one priority and we needed to be absolutely sure that it is safe to reopen the bridge to two lanes”.
“We are doing everything we can to keep the bridge in service until construction of a new bridge is completed,” he said.
