A new business case reveals options for an upgraded link between Bribie Island and mainland Queensland.
The long-awaited Bribie Island bridge upgrade is a step closer, with the Queensland Government’s business case laying out $756.56 million in works to boost safety, resilience, and transport capacity for the island’s vital connection to the mainland.
Under the preferred design, a new two-lane bridge will be built to carry eastbound traffic, alongside a separated active transport path catering to cyclists, pedestrians and mobility device users.
The existing bridge was built in 1963, but has been deemed structurally sound following detailed inspections, and will be reconfigured to handle two westbound lanes.
The state says this dual-bridge approach optimises cost, sustainability and network resilience, with provisions to widen to four lanes in future as needed.
Currently, about 27,200 vehicles cross the Bribie bridge daily. Limited space on the existing narrow deck has contributed to 18 crashes in five years and regular traffic incidents, with full closures sometimes lasting hours and severely impacting emergency services’ access to the island.
The business case warns that without intervention, capacity issues and traffic delays will escalate dramatically by 2046, jeopardising both safety and local economic growth.
Tourism is a major driver behind the project’s urgency, with Bribie Island attracting 820,000 visitors annually – nearly one-fifth of Moreton Bay’s total visitor numbers – and contributing to a $1.3 billion tourism economy. With the Moreton Bay region forecast to swell by another 300,000 residents by 2046, demand for safe, reliable access will only intensify.
In addition to the new bridge, upgrades are proposed for key intersections at Sylvan Beach Esplanade and Sandstone Point Hotel.
The project also includes lane duplication from Bestmann Road East to Benabrow Avenue and active transport links to mainland and island networks. New “pelican perches” will be installed on both bridges to enhance the passage’s iconic landscape.
Importantly, the business case finds that the new infrastructure will slash traffic delays during incidents by up to 87 per cent compared to the status quo and provide substantial improvements in network speeds, even during peak tourism periods.
Active transport accessibility will also leap forward, addressing significant shortcomings in the current pedestrian path, which does not meet Disability Discrimination Act standards.
However, environmental approvals will present a significant hurdle.
Construction will take place in the sensitive Pumicestone Passage, adjacent to the Moreton Bay Ramsar Wetland and Marine Park, necessitating numerous federal and state permits and extensive mitigation measures.
Early planning has already factored in environmental risks and cultural heritage consultation with the Kabi Kabi people.
If funded, the project would proceed under a ‘Construct Only’ contract model, with early contractor involvement encouraged to address design and constructability challenges. Construction is expected to span approximately three years, with the existing bridge remaining operational throughout most of the works.
Community feedback, gathered across two major consultation phases, overwhelmingly supported the upgrade.
Full details of the business case can be accessed on the TMR website.
