Gateway Upgrade South Stage 2A

McIlwain successfully secured this multimillion dollar contract following an Expression of Interest. Contract works predominately involved widening of the existing four lanes to six lanes along Mt Gravatt Capalaba Road from Broadwater Road to Mt Petrie Road and also included the duplication of the Bulimba Creek Bridge.

The construction of the new 56m westbound bridge included four precast spans and cast-in-situ bored piling. The new bridge was completed four weeks ahead of schedule due to effects on the ground planning. Installation of precast concrete noise barriers was also carried out to reduce traffic noise along residential boundaries.

The project was constructed under complex traffic staging due to the project being situated in a heavily trafficked urban corridor which caters for a significant amount of heavy vehicles. All major service relocations were managed by McIlwain’s construction team which included trunk sewer, trunk water main as well as optic fibre.

Throughout the project, McIlwain faced many challenges including construction of the new bridge directly underneath high voltage power transmission lines. This posed significant challenges for the installation of bored piles and the erection of precast concrete units due to the limited clearance between existing transmission lines and ground level. McIlwain sourced a specialist low headroom piling rig and used short cages and spliced liners to overcome this issue. Dual crane lifts were also utilised for the girder erection to maintain a safe working distance.
The project team also faced many environmentally sensitive issues including; fauna and flora management, cultural heritage, asbestos, contaminated land from an old dump site as well as working within the Bulimba Creek. Weekly water quality monitoring was undertaken to confirm that all discharges from site met acceptable standards. Water quality was managed by the use of erosion and sediment controls including sediment basins and silt fences. All challenges were effectively managed to ensure there were minimal effects on the surrounding environment.

Throughout the project, McIlwain and all stakeholders worked closely together to form strong working relationships to ensure the project was delivered on time and on budget. This project has improved safety and connectivity to and from the Gateway Motorway benefiting over 35,000 motorists who use Mt Gravatt – Capalaba Road daily.