GRIDLOCK on local roads again caught thousands of frustrated drivers looking to avoid the Warrego Highway after the sudden closing of the westbound Bremer River bridge.
The cause, according to Queenland Police, was a traffic accident at the bridge. This happened on Friday, June 27 and it gave us a preview of what would be a daily traffic nightmare should the old bridge be declared unsafe to use.
Eyewitnesses reported traffic in both directions backed up for kilometres for several hours.
There were reports of it taking over an hour to get from Goodna to North Ipswich via the highway, with many other roads in and out of Ipswich Central also choked as people tried to avoid the blockage.
July 31 will mark two years since speed limits were reduced after serious structural problems were found in the 1958-built bridge.
Since the accident last Friday, which appears to have damaged a safety rail on the old bridge, the westbound speed limit has been reduced further to 40 km/h in the previous 60 zone. Is this permanent?
We may never know due to the lack of clear and regular communication from Transport and Main Roads (TMR).
This whole situation as it stands feels like a ticking time bomb.
The silence from TMR is deafening. It’s time they came clean with a solid plan and date to return this all-important national highway to full service.
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