Mackay Regional Council
$1M
2021
Bloomsbury, Mackay, QLD
Transport
Bellwether constructed the Caping Rd Bridge at Bloomsbury Qld. The works included construction of a side track, removal and demolition of an existing timber bridge, construction of an InQuick system 2 span bridge supported on bored piles, approach roadworks and concrete floodway pavements.
Caping road bridge currently floods under relatively minor storm events and cuts off the only access to a number of residents on the northern banks of the O’Connell River. The new bridge provides more flood access surety and was required to be constructed under difficult conditions during Northern QLD’s wet season, including maintaining access to the residents across a river that regularly floods.
As Principal Contractor. Bellwether worked with the project’s team to review and refine the many key issues associated with this project including:
Bellwether constructed the bridge and floodway pavements works in a professional manner under extremely difficult working conditions within river that experience regularly flooding. Bellwether constructed multiple flood control structures and dewatering works lower the bed level of the river. The planning and construction of these bridges in a highly sensitive environmental area also required significant stakeholder engagement, not the least including local government, Department of Environment, Fisheries, landowners, local road users and the design and construction team. Careful planning and consultation were required before any construction works could commence and management of stakeholders during the works.
This remote site required detailed planning and design innovation regarding sourcing and procurement of suitable materials, plant, labour and subcontractors. An example of this included the reverse-designing of the gabion rock, to align with locally available materials. Our experienced site supervisors utilised local labour to deliver the works.