SMEC has won the open tender process.
The project, which was first announced last year, will involve strengthening and widening works to increase the bridge’s load-bearing capacity to reflect current and forecast traffic load demands. It will also augment vehicle and pedestrian safety barriers, and accommodate wider shared pedestrian and cycleway paths.
Above: NCA photograph of Commonwealth Avenue Bridge, taken by Ken Gibson.
Alicia Payne MP, chair of the joint standing committee on the National Capital & External Territories, said: “The iconic and nationally significant Commonwealth Avenue Bridge is one of two major bridges crossing Lake Burley Griffin. It is a critical component of the transport network of Canberra and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The bridge was built in 1963 and will turn 60 years old in 2023. It is time to address the evolving needs of our modern modes of transport and ensure the Bridge will continue to serve future generations.”
SMEC CEO for Australia and New Zealand James Phillis said: “SMEC has assembled a strong team to work closely with the NCA on the design consultancy services for CABR. Our team includes landscape architects and urban designers Spackman Mossop Michaels, architects Tonkin Zulaikha Greer and lighting designers Lighting Art and Science. Together we bring an integrated engineering and urban design approach that is sympathetic to the existing bridge, its heritage and location.”
NCA’s CABR project director Greg Tallentire said, “The NCA and SMEC will soon conduct background investigations to support heritage and environmental impact assessments and traffic studies. The design is expected to take 10 months to finalise, and the project will commence in late 2023.”
