In 2020, significant structural deficiencies were identified on the Barron River bridge in Kuranda due to use of what is now referred to as “brittle steel” during the 1960s construction.
An initial investigation was undertaken to understand the present risk associated with the structure and its operational loading. This period involved significant load restrictions and traffic management on a major regional link. After initial inspections, two truths became evident:
- The bridge had critical structural integrity flaws and would need either significant upgrades or replacement in the near term, and
- The bridge required continued monitoring, inspections, and rehabilitation for the continued safe operation of the bridge while the planning and development of a major upgrade project could be undertaken.
The planning project and risk management project were set up and initially ran in parallel with little coordination. Far North District quickly identified the need for these projects to collaborate, share resources, program changes, methodologies, and limitations.
The planning project had expertise in long-term needs for the link and community including freight capacity, lane widths and active transport provisions. The maintenance project on the other hand had expertise on specific structural limitations including elements that could be reused, and the need to accelerate a long-term solution.
This presentation will cover the complexities of managing and delivering two projects on one structure. The District will share the challenges, the opportunities and the learnings.
