Walter Taylor Bridge works – Indooroopilly/Chelmer
Learn what Council is doing to renew and maintain the heritage-listed Walter Taylor Bridge.
About the Walter Taylor Bridge works
We’re giving the Walter Taylor Bridge a much-needed refresh to renew the towers' rendered façades. With around 32,000 daily users, it’s an important part of Brisbane’s transport network. These works will help ensure this 90-year-old heritage listed bridge continues to serve our community for decades to come.
We’ll also carry out essential maintenance works and repairs on the bridge. These works will help keep the bridge safe and reliable for everyone who uses it.
It’s all part of our ongoing efforts to care for and protect this iconic landmark.
The works will include:
- refurbishing and repairing the surface of the north (Indooroopilly) and south towers (Chelmer), including updating the protective coatings
- repairing and replacing bridge steel structural connection points (nodes), where needed
- checking the condition of key structural parts and identifying any signs of damage or wear.
History of Walter Taylor Bridge
The Walter Taylor Bridge has been an important part of Brisbane’s transport network since it opened on 14 February 1936. Designed by local resident Walter Taylor, it was first known as the Indooroopilly Toll Bridge. The bridge was renamed in his honour in 1956.
The bridge uses surplus suspension cables from the Sydney Harbour Bridge project. It has two steel‑reinforced concrete pylons, standing 26.5 metres on the Indooroopilly side and 38.4 metres on the Chelmer side.
The bridge is one of only a few in the world designed for residential living. It is the only bridge of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. The north tower was home to the Green family for more than 75 years until 2009.
The Green family managed the tolls and maintenance for the Indooroopilly Toll Bridge Limited. The bridge was then handed over to the Brisbane City Council in 1963.
Tower renewal works
The Walter Taylor Bridge is 90 years old and the façade render on both towers is in need of repairs.
What’s happening first?
From early February 2026, Council commenced a series of detailed investigations to better understand the condition of each tower façade. Investigations and trials on the Walter Taylor Bridge tower facades will inform the next stage of the project.
The investigation will allow us to determine:
- where the existing render needs to be replaced
- which areas can be repaired or simply cleaned and painted.
Once these activities are complete, the project will move into planning and procurement for the tower renewal works.
What happens next?
Once investigations are complete and the results are reviewed, we’ll finalise the best approach for the main works. Planning and procurement is underway with construction to begin in early 2027.
Works will start on the north tower before progressing to the south tower.
Essential maintenance works
Node and cable investigations and repairs
We need to replace several steel components called ‘nodes’, which connect the bridge cables to the truss and help transfer weight and loads safely through the structure. These parts have reached the end of their service life and require replacement.
Completing this work will help maintain the Walter Taylor Bridge’s structural integrity and ensure the bridge remains safe and reliable for everyone who uses it.
To replace the nodes safely, the bridge must carry no load during tensioning activities.
Based on lessons learnt from previous node renewal works, these works will be completed overnight on Saturdays so the bridge can remain open to weekend daytime traffic.
During overnight closures, the bridge will close to all users, including vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists.
What this means for you
To minimise community impacts, full bridge closures will take place on the Saturday nights listed below.
- 9pm Saturday 12 September to 5am Sunday 13 September
- 9pm Saturday 19 September to 5am Sunday 20 September
- 9pm Saturday 26 September to 5am Sunday 27 September
- 9pm Saturday 3 October to 5am Sunday 4 October
- 9pm Saturday 10 October to 5am Sunday 11 October
- 9pm Saturday 17 October to 5am Sunday 18 October.
Please note
- If travelling through the area on closure nights, plan an alternative route and allow extra time.
- A section of Wharf Street will close between Rosebery Terrace and Regatta Street. Radnor Street will also close between Foxton Street and Riverview Terrace during these times.
- Overnight lane closures will occur from late August for scaffold installation and from early November for removal. These lane closures will occur from 9pm to 5am, Sunday to Thursday. Delays should be expected during these times.
- Traffic control and onsite signage will guide pedestrians, cyclists, vehicles and public transport users during the closures.
- A temporary guardrail will be installed to provide safe clearance between the roadway and the scaffold. It will be installed overnight on Saturday 12 September and remain in place until the works are complete. Two-way traffic will be maintained with narrower lanes (reduced to 3.3m from 3.8m) and a reduced speed limit of 40km/h.
Footpath changes
The Walter Taylor Bridge footpath will close during the above listed bridge closure times only. Pedestrians and riders can use Jack Pesch Bridge during these times.
Public transport changes
As works will occur overnight, bus services will not be affected by these bridge closures.
Additional closures
Further node and maintenance works impacting on the bridge will be complete in stages over the next few years.
Detailed bridge inspection
A team of trained inspectors will undertake a detailed condition inspection of the Walter Taylor Bridge. They will identify any damage and confirm compliance with safety standards.
The findings will inform future maintenance plans.
Timeline
Stage 1 Tower façade renewal works - Investigations and trial works commence.
Node renewal works and weekend bridge closures.
Node renewal works and overnight closures.
North tower façade renewal works - planning and procurement begins.
North tower façade renewal works – construction begins.
South tower façade renewal works.
Tower façade works completion.
Essential maintenance works continue.
Resources
Download the current works notice - August 2026:
Download the past works notice - April 2026:
Download the newsletter for the project introduction:
Contact us and register for updates
If you have questions about the Walter Taylor Bridge maintenance works or would like email updates, you can:
- phone the project team on 07 3178 5413 (during business hours)
- phone Council on 07 3403 8888 (after hours)
- email Council
- register for project updates
- write to:
Walter Taylor Bridge Project team
Brisbane City Council
GPO Box 1434
Brisbane Qld 4001.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Safety is the top priority. Works will be carried out using secure platforms, protective barriers, and strict safety procedures to safeguard workers and the public. This may require restricted access to areas of the bridge at certain times of works.
During bridge closures, emergency vehicles responding to incidents with lights and sirens can use the nearby Jack Pesch Bridge.
Traffic control will guide emergency vehicles and clear pedestrians and cyclists from the bridge before emergency access.
As works will occur overnight, bus services will not be affected by these bridge closures.
Some additional noise, lighting and dust are unavoidable during works. Council will use best practice measures to minimise impacts, including protective coverings, controlled hours and monitoring.
Bridges are critical assets that require ongoing maintenance.
We conduct detailed inspections on all Council bridges about every five years. This helps ensure bridges remain safe and in good condition. These inspections check for maintenance effectiveness, damage, confirm safety standards and guide future maintenance planning.
These works are part of a long-term program to keep Brisbane’s transport network safe and reliable.