Temporary Closures: Current advice
Commonwealth Avenue Bridge Renewal Project
Image
Construction Start Date
Spring 2025
Completion Date
2027
Budget
$137.5M
Temporary Road or Lake Closures
No
Latest news
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Project Overview
The National Capital Authority is undertaking major renewal works of Commonwealth Avenue Bridge. The project involves bridge strengthening and widening of the shared paths to cater to Canberra’s long-term transport needs while maintaining the bridge’s heritage value.
Please note these works are not connected with any light rail projects.
About Commonwealth Avenue Bridge
The Commonwealth Avenue Bridge we know today was constructed and opened to traffic in late 1963. Part of the dual carriageway Commonwealth Avenue, the bridge consists of two separate and parallel structures of around 310 metres long. It is a critical and strategically important arterial corridor in Canberra’s metropolitan transport network catering to public transport, active travel and vehicular traffic.
Learn more about the history of Commonwealth Avenue Bridge on the Attractions page.
About the project
Due to its remarkable engineering design, the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge has not undergone any significant upgrades for sixty years. However, the time for these upgrades has come. Once work is completed the bridge will be strengthened to respond to the growing population, increased traffic and new vehicles as well as to provide better access for pedestrians and cyclists across, to and from the bridge.
Project benefits
- Safeguarding for the future: this project will strengthen the bridge, ensuring it adequately caters for Canberra’s long term transport needs, responding to a growing population, increased traffic and new vehicles. It will also address safety issues by replacing safety barriers and handrails and installing new lighting on the bridge.
- Wider shared paths and improved connectivity: widening of the shared paths will deliver improved access and connectivity for all users. It will also deliver separation between pedestrians/cyclists and vehicles consistent with Austroads standards. Improvements to the shared path approach ramps to provide better access to the bridge for all users and to better integrate with the wider shared path network.
- Maintaining the National Capital Plan: Commonwealth Avenue Bridge has considerable cultural and heritage value as a key landmark in Canberra. A key project objective is to ensure the bridge is planned and developed in accordance with its local and national significance. As part of the project, landscaping works will improve the urban design and access to the Lake’s foreshore.
Project status
Seymour Whyte was awarded the detailed design and construct contract in March 2025. As part of the detailed design phase, investigations including survey and geotechnical works are being carried out as required.
A site compound has been set up in the Barrine Drive short stay carpark. A second site compound will be established south of Commonwealth Avenue Bridge (near Flynn Drive) for the construction period. Further details on its location will be provided when known.
Construction is anticipated to begin late 2025 (weather permitting). Works will be completed in two main stages with each stage anticipated to take around 12 months.
- Stage 1: western span of the bridge (northbound lanes)
- Stage 2: eastern span of the bridge (southbound lanes)
Traffic management during construction
There will be significant changes and traffic impacts, including for shared path users.
Whilst traffic arrangements for the construction period are still being finalised, we know there will be a full closure of one span of the bridge at a time to enable its upgrade. This includes the trafficable lanes and the shared path.
One side of the bridge will remain open at all times to accommodate both directions of traffic, pedestrians and cyclists. Further details about traffic arrangements during construction will be shared in the lead-up to works beginning.
We are working closely with the ACT Government to coordinate construction programs, disruption and communication activities.
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If you would like to contact the project team, email us at communications@nca.gov.au
Publications and previous announcements
26 August 2025: Commonwealth Avenue Bridge Renewal Update
7 March 2025: Commonwealth Avenue Bridge Renewal Project Update
6 October 2022: NCA to undertake major asset renewal for Commonwealth Avenue Bridge
Due to its remarkable engineering design, Commonwealth Avenue Bridge has not undergone any significant upgrades for sixty years. In this time we have seen the size and weight of everyday vehicles increase. It is important to ensure the bridge is upgraded to accommodate these increasing vehicle sizes today and into the future.
Whilst these strengthening works will increase the bridge’s load rating to accommodate heavier vehicles up to 44 tonnes, vehicle limits across the bridge will remain consistent with the authorised heavy vehicle routes determined by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.
In addition to the trafficable lanes, Commonwealth Avenue Bridge is the primary north-south link for pedestrians and active travel users. At only 2.4 metres wide, the existing shared paths on both sides of the bridge do not meet Austroad Guidelines or industry standards. The project will double the width of the path system, significantly improving safety for both pedestrians and cyclists.
On 8 April 2022, the Minister for the Environment included Lake Burley Griffin and Adjacent Lands in the Commonwealth Heritage List. Commonwealth Avenue Bridge is not itself heritage listed, but it is included within the boundary of the Lake Burley Griffin listed area and contributes to its heritage values.
A heritage impact assessment has been prepared as part of the design for the works.
The report identified the proposed works would have a moderate impact on several heritage values because of the bridge widening which would remove parts of the original structure and handrails, impacting several creative qualities. However, the design of the extensions to the bridge has sought to minimise the impact through the simple, modern form and materials selected.
There was also a minor impact noted because of the bridge’s changed appearance, including to the landscaping. These impacts would be greater at close range, but less perceptible from further away. New plantings are expected to mitigate this landscape impact over time.
Otherwise, no additional heritage values were noted.
The project will have regard for preserving the historical significance of the bridge.
The upgraded bridge will generally retain its current visual appearance. New materials being used to upgrade the bridge will not be visible due to their location within the bridge and those used for the widening of the bridge will complement the existing look of the bridge.
Both sets of flagpoles will need to be removed to allow construction activities associated with the project to take place. There are no current plans to reinstate the flag poles following construction. The flag poles along Kings Avenue will remain.
The project includes increasing the width of the shared pathways on either side of the bridges to roughly 5m wide. In addition, pedestrian paths on the northern and southern abutments of the bridge will be realigned to allow safer movement of pedestrians and cyclist when exiting the bridge.
There will be significant closures and traffic impacts during construction and Canberrans are urged to plan ahead and, if possible, consider changes to how you travel.
To ensure one side of the bridge remains open to pedestrians, cyclists and traffic at all times, works will be undertaken on the western span of the bridge first, before progressing to the eastern span. Further details about traffic arrangements during construction will be shared in the lead-up to works beginning and the NCA will keep the community updated on project status and traffic management throughout the project.
The works undertaken to strengthen the bridge will occur within the bridge structure and at the connection with the bridge piers. During these works, the bridge will be lifted off the existing piers and it is critical there is no additional load on the bridge during this time. While these works are underway it is important to close the bridge to ensure the safety of both the workers and the public.
The Commonwealth Avenue Bridge Renewal Project is unrelated to the ACT Government's plan to extend the Light Rail from Civic to Woden.
To learn more about the light rail project, please visit the ACT Government's website.
The NCA is working closely with the ACT Government to coordinate construction programs, disruption and communication activities wherever possible.
The NCA will continue to work with stakeholders, including the ACT Government, to manage the impact of this project and its interrelationship with other works in and around the vicinity.
The NCA will continue to keep community members and other stakeholders updated on project status and arrangements for traffic management once construction works commence.
You can stay informed by subscribing to our mailing list using the link above, or by following the project updates on our website or social media. If you have any questions about the project you can email us at communications@nca.gov.au