Brisbane’s Story Bridge will fully close for 16 hours in April as part of essential maintenance on the 85-year-old structure, with traffic impacts expected across 11 days.
Read: Experience the Story Bridge Adventure Climb Like Never Before at Howard Smith Wharves
Closures on the Story Bridge and Bradfield Highway are scheduled from Thursday, 2 April to Monday, 13 April 2026, covering a combination of partial lane closures and a full bridge shutdown. The complete closure is set for Saturday, 11 April to Sunday, 12 April.
Brisbane’s local officials said the works have been timed to coincide with the Easter school holiday period, when traffic volumes are lower, and with the bridge closure already planned for the Tour de Brisbane cycling event.
The bridge carries more than 100,000 vehicles and around 4,000 pedestrians and cyclists each day, and forms part of the national highway network.
The maintenance program is expected to cost roughly $5 million, according to Cr Ryan Murphy, Chair of Infrastructure for Brisbane. Works will include concrete slab repairs beneath the road surface, which won’t be visible from the road, along with bridge inspections and other minor maintenance activities.
According to Senior Engineer Guy Connew, works will also cover joint cleaning, drain maintenance, and wash-downs of the steel framework to remove contaminants that can degrade protective coatings over time. The bridge has thousands of individual greasing points, all requiring maintenance attention.
Cr Murphy noted the works are separate from the broader Story Bridge Restoration project, which is currently in the business case development stage. Brisbane lists restoration works as scheduled to commence in 2028, subject to funding availability. A $4.6 million detailed business case is underway, with Councillor Murphy saying it is approximately 70 per cent complete and expected to be handed to the federal officials and Infrastructure Australia by June 2026, before being released to the public.
Brisbane closed the Story Bridge’s footpaths in March 2025 due to safety and structural concerns. Brisbane has spent more than $120 million on maintenance of the structure over the past two decades.
Read: Story Bridge City-Side Footpath Reopens Early in Fortitude Valley
During the closure period, the eastern footpath will also face temporary night-time closures, with detour signage in place to direct pedestrians, cyclists, and e-mobility riders. BCC advises commuters to use the QLDTraffic app, visit qldtraffic.qld.gov.au, or phone 13 19 40 to plan their journey in advance.
Published 26-March-2026
