News
6 March, 2025
Million dollar bridges rise
A CRITICAL connection bridge in Villeneuve is due for an estimated $15 million upgrade, as Somerset Council voted to move ahead with construction of a new two-lane Lester Kropp Bridge (LKB) at Council’s ordinary meeting on February 26.
LKB in Villeneuve is a critical connection between Villeneuve and Mount Archer on Neurum Road.
Council expects the new two-lane bridge will significantly improve safety, reliability, and economic opportunities for Somerset communities, as the current single-lane bridge is 80 years old and has a poor crash record.
While the cost of upgrading is significant, Somerset Regional Council CEO Andrew Johnson said the bridge was sorely needed for the Somerset community.
“There have been multiple injury crashes on Neurum Road at LKB with a frequency of one every two or three years,” Mr. Johnson said.
“There is an estimated average annual safety benefit of $250,000 in having a two-lane versus a one-lane bridge on Neurum Road.”
Mr. Johnson said the new two-lane bridge would also provide productivity efficiencies of about $95,000 compared to the degrading existing structure, which will require load limiting.
Council sought funding for the design and replacement of the bridge over the Stanley River with an 8.9m two-lane structure and signed a $5 million Australian Government funding agreement through the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program (HVSPP) on 6 January 2023.
Mr. Johnson said the funding agreement originally anticipated a project cost over $7 million.
“However, after the design process, tender submissions received in January 2025 indicated a cost over $12 million,” Mr. Johnson said.
“This increase in costs over the past two years, while unexpected, is consistent with construction increases council and other governments have incurred with projects.
“It’s plausible the final cost, considering project variability due to geotechnical issues and project management, could exceed $12 million.”
Per the HVSPP funding conditions, the project must be constructed by November 2025 and fully acquitted by 23 January 2026.
“Time frames for this project are critical, and we need to get this project underway as soon as possible, and so council has decided to fund the remainder of the works as part of our next budget review,” Mr. Johnson said.
“If LKB isn’t replaced now, there is no guarantee any funding will be available to replace the bridge in the future.”
This comes only a day after an upgraded Scrub Creek Bridge (SCB) officially opened in Somerset on February 25, following six months of works in 2024 and a $5.1 million, jointly-funded investment from the federal and state governments, along with nearly $200,000 from Somerset Council.
The new SCB will be more resilient during future flooding events, improving road access for Scrub Creek residents in times of need, who, in the past, were cut off for an extended period during heavy rainfall.
Raising the bridge by 0.8m above the original causeway has also reduced the time and resources needed to restore access after severe weather, offering long-term benefits for the region.
Somerset Mayor Jason Wendt said the former concrete causeway and culvert crossing were easily submerged with heavy rainfall, preventing access to the community.
“Before now, only 50mm of rain in the Brisbane River upper catchment would cause access issues for Scrub Creek residents,” he said.
“Just three months after construction, it stood strong during the heavy December rains, keeping our roads open and our residents connected.
“This is a huge relief for a community that has faced isolation during past rain events.”
Federal Member for Blair, Shayne Neumann, said he was pleased to help open the new bridge, which was jointly funded under the Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
“We’ve seen time and again local communities in the Somerset Region hit hard by natural disasters and it’s great news that this new flood-resilient infrastructure is now open,” he said.
“It’s important local transport networks are built back better and as quickly as possible to keep communities connected.
“We are continuing to work with the Queensland Government and Somerset Regional Council to make sure local roads and bridges are repaired and made accessible again.”
State Minister for Local Government and Water and Minister for Disaster Recovery, Ann Leahy, said keeping communities connected is a fundamental focus of flood resilience work.
“With every flood disaster in Queensland we see how quickly our communities can be affected by isolation,” she said.
“Building flood resilience into vital infrastructure like bridges and roads is a valuable investment in keeping communities safe, connected, and supplied.
“Reconstructing Scrub Creek Bridge to a more flood resilient standard will give Somerset residents confidence they won’t face the past impacts of isolation during future flood events.”
