source : the age
The city council has refused to waive or reduce costly tolls on roads when one Brisbane’s busiest bridges closes over the summer peak for resurfacing and maintenance, while inner-city drivers have been told to plan alternative routes.
The Story Bridge – which connects drivers from Kangaroo Point to Fortitude Valley and New Farm, and links to the CBD and popular airport routes – will be closed from December 27 to January 18 to allow for resurfacing on the entire southern end of the overpass, and parts of the northern approach.
Structural deck maintenance and waterproofing works are also planned as part of Brisbane City Council’s $110 million “Operation Smooth” initiative, a core promise of the 2026 budget to repair the city’s bitumen.
Alongside the southern approach to the Story Bridge, which runs from the section that goes over Rotherham Street to Holman Street in Kangaroo Point, roads in Albion, Eagle Farm, Hamilton, Ipswich, Logan, Lutwyche, Moggill and Toowong have been earmarked for resurfacing as part of the program.
Keeping on message, council infrastructure chair Ryan Murphy said residents could look forward to “a smoother ride” in the new year.
“We know closing the Story Bridge will be disruptive and we appreciate the public’s patience while we perform this important work,” Murphy said.
The councillor confirmed tolls on alternative routes would not be waived or reduced, saying such a move would cost tens of millions of dollars and not be in the best interest of ratepayers.
“It would be a very expensive exercise,” he said.
“We’re quite confident the alternative routes, should residents plan ahead, will be available.”
The council’s Labor opposition was critical of that call.
“In typical LNP council fashion, Brisbane residents will be paying the price for council’s neglect of our Story Bridge,” leader Jared Cassidy said in a statement.
“The Story Bridge is a major artery at the heart of our city now on life support due to two decades of decline under this LNP council.
“Our city deserves better.”
The eastern footpath – which faces New Farm – will remain open during the three weeks of work, while the western footpath will close.
The Story Bridge Adventure Climb will continue to run during the road closure.
“Under [Lord Mayor Adrian] Schrinner’s bridge summer maintenance plans, you can sip champagne up top, but you can’t get to work,” independent councillor Nicole Johnston said.
“It’s more wrong priorities and mismanagement from the lord mayor.”
Maintaining access to the Story Bridge has been a pain point for council in recent years, with footpaths either side of the bridge closed in 2025 due to long-standing issues including concrete cancer and rusting support beams.
The city-side footpath reopened on October 3 after seven months, with the council confirming a $7 million bill to restore access.
The eastern footpath was reopened to pedestrians and cyclists the following month.
More than $80 million has been invested into the iconic bridge since 2019, including to restore the paths, the council said.
The Story Bridge will remain accessible to emergency services during the coming closure, and the council is working with Translink to minimise the impact on bus services.
Drivers who frequented the bridge were advised to begin considering alternative routes.
Pedestrians, cyclists and scooter riders could continue using the eastern footpath, while the western footpath would be closed during the work to support construction activities.
A detailed business case to map out the Story Bridge’s 20-year renewal in partnership with the state and federal government was under way.
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