Construction

Start date: January 2024.

Completion date: Quarter 3 2026.

Site establishment began in October 2023 with the site compound and associated buildings located off Hazel Hawke Avenue. Construction activities began in January 2024.

Initial works on site included the realignment of the northern approach road to Coppins Crossing. This was necessary to provide clear access to where we need to construct the bridge and to minimise the impact on traffic. The new temporary road opened and traffic was diverted onto it on Sunday 19 May 2024.

While the road realignment works have been underway, significant earthworks have also been continuing on the project site near Denman Prospect. We have been constructing 2 sediment ponds which are not only necessary as part of the environmental protections on site during construction but will remain as permanent ponds once construction is complete.

Foundation work for the future Molonglo River Bridge is also well underway. All geotechnical investigations at the pier locations on both sides of the river have been completed and pier construction is underway. Piling works have been completed.

Traffic and public transport impacts

Work will be carried out as dayworks between the hours of 7 am and 6 pm Monday to Friday and 6 am and 6 pm on weekends.

During construction there will be short closures of Coppins Crossing to allow truck movements from the southern side of the crossing (Denman Prospect) to the northern side (Whitlam). When the closure occurs, traffic will be temporarily stopped in both directions. Temporary traffic signals and traffic controllers will be used during this time.

Intersection of Coppins Crossing and Sculthorpe Avenue

Date: On Tuesday 8 April 2025.

Work description: North and southbound traffic at the intersection of Sculthorpe Avenue and Coppins Crossing Road will be switched onto a new section to allow for construction to continue on the western side of the new Sculthorpe Avenue.

Impacts: Short traffic delays are expected during the day to enable the switch to the newly constructed road section of the John Gorton Drive.

View the intersection map (JPG 283.1 KB).

Coppins Crossing Road between Holborow Avenue and Hazel Hawke Avenue.

Date: From 10am to 3pm, on Tuesday 15 April and Thursday 17 April 2025.

Work description: Coppins Crossing Road will be closed between Holborow Avenue and Hazel Hawke Avenue.  The closure is required to enable the transfer of the girder transport system across the river from the northern abutment to the southern bridge abutment.

View the detour map (JPG 365.8 KB).

From late April/May 2025 – Two-week road closure on Coppins Crossing Road

Coppins Crossing Road will be closed between Holborow Avenue and Hazel Hawke Avenue for approximately two weeks. This closure is needed to allow for steel girders to be lifted into place safely by a 1600 tonne capacity crane.

Further details on this closure will be provided in April.

Access to Namarag (Molonglo River Reserve)

The former carpark and access trail from John Gorton Drive has permanently closed due to construction activities. Access to Namarag is now via Thancoupie Crescent in Whitlam. The short 70-metre walk from the new carpark emerges near the nature play space and lookout. Construction works will continue in the open space around the access track but both the carpark and track are open for use.

The detailed design has now been substantially completed.

During this phase, there have been some changes to the design as originally communicated publicly. The Molonglo Group Centre was proposed to be reclassified as a Town Centre. This proposed re-classification meant design changes were required to meet the design criteria for a Town Centre. Other design changes were initiated to increase public safety, such as the removal of the on-road cycle path and provision of a shared user off-road cycle path and the widening of the shared use path on the bridge. Further studies have been undertaken on a number of environmental issues during the design development stage and better environmental outcomes have been achieved. This included improving connectivity for the pink tail worm lizard communities within the river reserve.

• The bridge was originally designed at 227.5 metres long, however it will now be 200 metres long. This is due to the realignment of the bridge across the Molonglo River.
• Two signalised intersections will be delivered by this project, this has reduced from the 5 communicated initially. The additional 3 signalised intersections are expected to be delivered by the Suburban Land Agency (SLA) as part of their construction works for the Molonglo Town Centre, subject to planning approvals.
• On-road cycle lanes are no longer being incorporated into this project. This is consistent with the approach being taken in the Molonglo Town Centre by the SLA. A walking and cycling path will be provided in both directions on the bridge, with off-road cycle lanes designed on the John Gorton Drive approaches consistent with the SLA Group Centre work.
• The design now includes 2 queue jump bus lanes. The first is northbound and located at the intersection adjacent to the Molonglo Town Centre and the second is southbound and located at Sculthorpe Avenue.