The West Tamar Council will temporarily close one lane of the Gravelly Beach road bridge across Stony Creek to safely reinstate pedestrian access – with timeframes to be confirmed early next week.
Pedestrian access across the existing footbridge was closed in June following a routine inspection that identified surface subsidence.
Subsequent detailed structural assessments by engineers – examining the undersides and supporting piers – confirmed that the primary supporting pier had subsided, rotated from its original alignment, and exhibited significant cracking along with a discernible lean.
That advice to Council indicated that it was simply not feasible to remediate the existing footbridge and that demolition was the only viable and safe option.
Constructed nearly 70 years ago, the original single-lane structure has reached the end of its practical service life.
To address this, Council has allocated $1 million in its 2026/27 Capital Works budget as a contingency for the demolition of the existing pedestrian bridge.
A comprehensive bridge works package will be delivered across three distinct stages: the temporary reinstatement of pedestrian access, the demolition of the existing footbridge, and finally the construction of a new permanent pedestrian crossing over Stony Creek.
Council engaged specialised engineering firms experienced in the decommissioning of similar public infrastructure to determine the safest, most efficient, and cost-effective approach.
However, this has taken some time given the small number of suitably qualified companies capable of undertaking this type of work and the complexities involved.
The temporary lane closure will see one lane of the two-lane traffic bridge closed, with synchronised traffic signals in place and concrete barriers installed to separate vehicles from pedestrians.
Initial technical advice indicates that demolishing the existing footbridge carries a high degree of risk due to its close proximity to the active traffic bridge, which is less than one metre away.
That advice made it clear that there was a genuine risk that any demolition works – including the removal of the deck – could impact and potentially damage the two-lane vehicle bridge.
This has meant that a significant amount of planning was required to get to this point.
Compounding these issues, a number of critical, third-party assets are affixed to the underside of the footbridge – including a TasWater mains, a Telstra cable, and an NBN fibre cable.
These utilities must be safely re-routed across Stony Creek – and are likely to be reattached to the main road bridge – prior to any demolition activities.
Planning is already well underway for this to occur, which has taken considerable time with regards to planning.
Additionally, Council will be coordinating approvals with the Department of Parks and Wildlife, which are required before any works or demolition can commence.
Concurrently, engineers are also planning for a long-term solution for a permanent replacement pedestrian structure.
These options include a new standalone footbridge – in either the existing location or a new location – or a cantilevered pedestrian walkway attached to the side of the two-lane vehicle bridge.
Council acknowledges that this has been a lengthy process to date.
However, the safety of pedestrians moving across Stony Creek is our number one priority and will remain so throughout.