Queensland Rail has unveiled final designs for a new bridge at Herbert Street in Ipswich.
The original bridge at Sadliers Crossing was closed to road traffic in 2020 due to its degraded condition.
A temporary footbridge was installed by Queensland Rail to connect both sides of the Ipswich rail line.
Now, Queensland Rail is building a permanent bridge for pedestrians, cyclists and people with mobility devices, which also provides a single trafficable lane for vehicle access during an emergency.
The design was finalised following engagement with locals, including face-to-face community meetings, door knocks and feedback sessions.
Works will start on Saturday August 22 with the demolishment of the temporary footbridge. Construction of the permanent bridge will continue until 2028.
Due to the bridge’s location over an active rail corridor, Queensland Rail said construction must be carefully staged during existing track closures to ensure the safety of workers and minimise disruption to Ipswich line customers.
During construction, there will be no pedestrian access across the rail corridor at Herbert Street. Detours will be in place at the nearby Thomas Street underpass and Burnett Street.
Queensland Rail’s Head of South East Queensland Neil Backer thanked the Ipswich community for its ongoing feedback and engagement throughout the design process.
“Given the complexities of building over live rail infrastructure, this work is only possible during existing scheduled track closures, so our crews can get the job done safely and efficiently,” he said.
“There will be detours in place during the construction phase, and, to assist members of the local community with additional accessibility requirements, Queensland Rail can arrange alternate crossing assistance.
“We will continue to keep the community informed and work to minimise disruption wherever possible.”
