New White Patch bridge a step closer

A new permanent bridge and road at White Patch Esplanade on Bribie Island to replace facilities obliterated by February’s floods is a step closer.

Moreton Bay Regional Council yesterday approved an Expression of Interest (EOI) process for the construction of the project ahead of inviting construction tenders.

The road services about 75 homes and gives access to many 4x4 tracks on Bribie Island.

Council will seek funding for the White Patch Esplanade works from the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

Under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, rebuilding such infrastructure after a natural disaster must be completed within 24 months of the disaster occurring.

Preliminary design

Council project and asset services director Tony Martini told the meeting that calling for expressions of interest to construct a new bridge and road would streamline the process and allow the project to be completed within the required timeframe.

An officers’ report to Council says design and approvals consultant Red Fox Advisory is in the process of Options Analysis, Design and Approvals work.

“The preliminary design has been completed and detailed design is planned to occur in parallel with the Expression of Interest process,” the report says.

Cr Brooke Savige (Div 1) expressed concern the community was yet to see the preliminary designs.

She said residents had made suggestions about what would improve the causeway crossing.

|“They were raising suggestions like boat ramps and safer pedestrian access,” Cr Savige said.|

“They’re all relevant to the community so I feel like we missed a step along the way, but I also recognise that we are operating on a much more condensed timeframe than we usually would because of the need to undertake disaster recovery work within 24 months in order to qualify for disaster funding.”

Catering for pedestrians

Mr Martini said a pedestrian pathway was included in the design for the new bridge, which would be built alongside the temporary crossing that was constructed in a matter of days after the February floods cut White Patch residents off from the rest of Bribie Island.

He said Council continued to monitor any movement in the temporary structure, which will be demolished once the new single-span bridge is finished.