Isle of Capri Decongestion Project
Hours of work:
6am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday
Commencing: mid-2019
Completion: mid-2021
Isle of Capri Bridge concept
The Isle of Capri Decongestion Project will improve traffic flow and ensure that our traffic network has greater capacity to meet population growth. The Isle of Capri forms part of a major east-west connection that's experiencing increased congestion and delays as the city continues to grow.
The existing 60 year old bridge is ageing and, with around 18,000 cars per day passing over it, it is nearing capacity. The City is acting now to combat the future increase in cars passing over the bridge, which is projected to be up to 25,000 per day over the next eight years.
This project is part of our ongoing investment in our road network and helps to create a better connected Gold Coast by adding a missing link in our active transport network.
As part of this project, we're improving network capacity to keep traffic moving. Stay informed about the project's progress, upcoming activities and construction impacts by signing up for email updates.
The high capacity upgrade strategy for the Isle of Capri route includes:
relocating underground services
building a new four-lane bridge over the Nerang River (two new structures in stages)
increasing clearance on the new bridge for larger vessels to pass underneath
improving pedestrian and cycle connectivity and active transport options with four-metre wide shared paths on both sides of the new bridge
major capacity upgrade of the Remembrance Drive intersection including opening up access to Enderley Avenue (from Remembrance Drive)
renewing the road on Enderley Avenue and Remembrance Drive
extending the four lanes on Via Roma from Verona Avenue across the bridge
providing dedicated right turn lanes at the Via Roma/St Pauls Place/Remo Street intersection
developing and delivering a landscaping masterplan including tree planting and improvements to the John Fraser Memorial Park (lighting, footpaths and river viewing area).
Check out the frequently asked questions below.
Public impact
Relocation of underground services
Relocation of sewer mains in Remembrance Drive and Via Roma
Prior to successfully relocating the sewer mains under the river to the sewer pump station on Remembrance Drive, a number of steps were taken.
The original sewer main was moved from the side of the existing bridge where it was previously attached.
The new pipeline was welded together in Roma Park, drawn in one piece towards the river along the southern kerb of Via Roma and pressure tested for leaks.
Horizontal directional drilling
A horizontal directional drill rig was positioned on Via Roma near Amalfi Drive to drill and case a hole for the pipeline to be pulled through under the river.
This process was repeated when a second sewer pipeline was welded together in John Fraser Memorial Park, and pulled underground to the sewer pump station.
Connecting the sewer main
Trenching along the middle of Via Roma will commence in December 2019, to lay the new sewer main pipeline under the road, from the bridge at Via Roma to the existing sewer connection near St Peters Place.
Trenching work is also continuing in John Fraser Memorial Park, Markwell Avenue and at the intersection to the bridge on Remembrance Drive, to relocate underground services such as power and telecommunications.
Some localised traffic changes are required as part of these activities. For the safety of workers and road users, some activities will be undertaken at night. Nearby residents will be notified in advance of any such work.
The new bridge over the Nerang River will be constructed in the following stages:
Piling will be undertaken to build the first stage of the new bridge.
Installation of the bridge beams, road surface, barriers, signage and lighting will follow.
Traffic will then be switched onto the newly construction bridge section, allowing for the old bridge to be demolished.
The same process will then be followed to build the second stage of the bridge starting with piling, then installation of beams, road surface, barriers, signage and lighting.
Once complete, traffic will then utilise both sections of the new bridge — two lanes in each direction.
Traffic and access
Road and path access will be maintained but there'll be lane closures, detours and traffic management in place. Expect delays, especially during peak times.
Short-term bridge closure will be required during construction. We'll let you know in advance of any closures.
Watercraft access on the Nerang River will be maintained but there will be a clearance zone around the work area to ensure safety.
Access to the Capri on Via Roma shopping centre will be maintained at all times, and retailers will continue to trade as normal.
We encourage all road users to take extra care when workers are in the area and observe traffic signs and speed restrictions. We apologise for the inconvenience and we'll do our best to minimise disruptions. Thank you in advance for your patience.
A substantial effort has been made to minimise the environmental impact including consulting with an arborist, environmental and river management stakeholders. A number of trees will need to be removed to make way for the new bridge (including 9 mature fig trees). To help compensate for the required tree removals, we're implementing the landscaping masterplan which includes planting over 70 trees and improving amenities in the John Fraser Memorial Park with new paths, lighting, river viewing platform and trees. The masterplan investment is valued at $900,000.
Bus stops in the area will continue to operate but some may be temporarily relocated. Please contact Translink to get the latest information on bus routes and bus stop locations on 13 12 30 or by visiting translink.com.au
Night works notification - Building our city, enhancing our lifestyle
The City of Gold Coast is completing night works in the following areas:
Via Roma (at St Peters Place)
Friday 10 January 2020 work will commence at 3am to relocate barriers on Via Roma near Verona Avenue.
Monday 20 to Monday 27 January 2020 inclusive, between 7pm and 6.30am the intersection at Via Roma, Remo Street and St Peters Place will be closed to through traffic, to connect the new sewer pipeline to the existing pipeline under the road. Please note there will be no changes to traffic during the day (the intersection will be re-opened from 6.30am for normal use).
Several detours will be in place during this time and will be managed by Traffic Controllers. For more information about the location of the detours, refer to the map below.
Isle of Capri - detours during night works
Remembrance Drive (at the Via Roma intersection)
Sunday 12 to Tuesday 14 January 2020, from 7pm to 6.30am to carry out important work on the northbound lane.
Nearby residents will be notified in advance when night works will occur.
Night works minimise the impact to road users and allow us to complete the works safely and efficiently. We will be working to ensure disruptions to residents are minimised and where possible, noisy works will be scheduled to occur early in the work period.
Road users are requested to take extra care when workers are in the area and observe traffic signs and speed restrictions.
Thank you for your patience while these important works are undertaken.
For road closure information visit news.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/alert-section
To provide feedback please contact the Project Manager Andrew Wiles on 07 5581 1809 or email capriproject@goldcoast.qld.gov.au
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Why do we need a new bridge?
Our priority is to ensure that we have the transport infrastructure, sustainable travel options and traffic flow solutions in place to support the city's continued productivity and growth.
A key connection within the network is the east to west route from the Remembrance Drive intersection at Surfers Paradise across to Bundall, Benowa and Ashmore via the Capri Bridge.
The existing two-lane bridge currently has around 18,000 cars per day. This is causing congestion and delays, especially in peak times.
The 60 year old bridge is at capacity and can't accommodate the projected growth. Over the next eight years this is likely to increase to 25,000 cars per day.
Another factor impacting the increased demand on the corridor is the Continuous Flow Intersection (CFI) at Bundall Road and Salerno Street. The intersection was upgraded to a CFI by the Department of Transport and Main Roads in December 2017 to improve access to Salerno Street and cater for increased traffic to Surfers Paradise from the south.
How will the community benefit?
The project will improve traffic flow and help reduce congestion by increasing the capacity of the network to meet current and future demand.
Pedestrians and cyclists will find it easier to travel on the road and on the footpath. The wider paths and bike lanes will make it safer for all active transport users.
The new bridge will enable larger vessels to pass underneath the bridge, and connect a missing link in the active travel network.
The John Fraser Memorial Park upgrade will provide improved amenities for the local community; and opening up access to Enderley Avenue (from Remembrance Drive) will improve east to west traffic flow.
How much will the project cost?
The total project cost is $55 million. This includes the new bridge and all associated road works. At the early stages of the project the cost was estimated at $34 million for a two lane bridge. The project was expanded to incorporate a four lane bridge now rather than build a two lane bridge now and then a second bridge in the future after the girders of the present bridge could no longer be maintained. It was decided that the whole of lifecycle costs and inconvenience to the public would be worse if the existing bridge was continued to be used rather than build a new four lane bridge.
Consideration was given to upgrading the existing bridge but further investigations found this option to be more costly and the least viable. The existing two-lane Capri Bridge is nearly 60 years old and therefore maintenance costs are becoming unjustifiable.
Who is building the bridge?
To maximise efficiencies, an Early Tenderer Involvement process was undertaken to help refine the design. Three contractors were involved in the process which encourages design and construction innovation. The three companies will now compete in a tender process for the construction of the bridge.
The City of Gold Coast is undertaking the road work associated with the project and acting as Principal Contractor to ensure the smooth coordination of all works.
What's the environmental impact of the project?
A substantial effort has been made to minimise the environmental impact including consulting with an arborist, environmental and river management stakeholders, with the aim to only remove the minimum number of trees while still delivering project requirements. A number of trees will need to be removed across the project footprint, including nine mature fig trees.
To help compensate for required tree removals, we're implementing a landscaping masterplan which includes planting over 70 new trees and improving amenities in the John Fraser Memorial Park with new paths, lighting, river viewing platform and trees.
We've also consulted with marine authorities to develop a detailed management plan for the river and foreshore that minimises impacts.
The plan includes:
bank treatment options in relation to fish habitat
stormwater run-off and discharge management
vegetation retention/removal and strategies for maintaining bank stability and ecosystem water quality.
What are the traffic changes and construction impacts?
This web page will be kept up to date with the latest information including traffic changes.
You can also sign up for updates straight to your email inbox, using the 'Subscribe to our eNewsletter' button on the page above.
Various lane closures and intermittent traffic changes will be required during construction especially on Via Roma and Remembrance Drive.
We'll need to do some night work from time to time and we'll let you know in advance of any such activities.
Piling for the new bridge
There'll be standard construction noise most of the time; however during pile driving the noise will be significantly louder.
Short-term closure/s of the Capri Bridge may also be required to allow certain activities to proceed safely for workers and road users.
We'll let you know in advance of any closures, night work and pile driving.
Will the bridge work affect watercraft use in the river?
Watercraft access on the Nerang River will be maintained but there'll be a clearance zone around the work area to ensure safety.
Once operational, the new bridge will allow larger vessels to pass underneath as it features an increased clearance height (from 3.1 metres above 'highest astronomical high tide' to 4.5 metres above 'highest astronomical tide').
Will the John Fraser Memorial Park be available during work?
Access to remaining sections of the park (not subject to construction activities) will be maintained via a path off Remembrance Drive, near Markwell Avenue. The carpark off Markwell Avenue will be closed during the project as it is being used for the site compound, building the bridge and park improvement activities.
Will Capri on Via Roma shops be open during works?
Improvements will be made to the intersection of Via Roma/St Peter's Place/Remo Street to provide dedicated right turn lanes making access to Capri on Via Roma easier.
Are there any changes to parking?
To enable the work, kerbside parking on Via Roma will be permanently removed between the river and St Peters Place.
Parking is available at the Capri on Via Roma carpark for shoppers, and in local streets for residents and visitors.
The carpark off the eastern end of Markwell Avenue will be temporarily closed during the project to support the site compound.
Media centre media release
Brochures, fact sheets & reports
Isle of Capri Decongestion Project resources
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