Main Street and River Terrace intersection upgrade project - Kangaroo Point

Brisbane City Council is pleased to announce that construction of the Main Street and River Terrace intersection upgrade at Kangaroo Point was completed in November 2020 and was jointly funded by Council and the Australian Government through the Roads to Recovery program. 

Additional Main Street pathway improvement works are now being undertaken as part of the intersection upgrade project and are an initiative of the Queensland Government through the COVID Works for Queensland program.

Project update

As part of the Main Street pathway improvements project at Kangaroo Point, night works are required to remove the locally heritage listed former bus shelter and reinstate the footpath on the northbound side of Main Street between River Terrace and Amesbury Street. These works are scheduled to take place between Sunday 20 June and Friday 25 June 2021 between 7pm and 5am, weather and construction conditions permitting. In the event of adverse weather, these works will be completed on the next available night.

These works are required to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety at this section of the footpath by installing a new 2.5m wide shared path to cater for active transport users. The current shelter provides height clearance of 1.9m which is insufficient for the safety of active transport users. Council has considered raising the height of the shelter at the current location. However, due to the extensive underground services relocations required to install new footings to the shelter, this was not considered a feasible alternative.

The shelter will be relocated to the verge opposite Scott Street at Kangaroo Point. This shelter is a locally listed heritage structure and Council will take all the necessary precautions to protect the shelter from potential damage during its removal and relocation.

These works are scheduled to be undertaken at night when traffic volumes are lowest, to ensure the safety of road users and workers, and to minimise traffic disruptions. Council apologises for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience while we complete these works.

Temporary lane closures will be required to facilitate the works, with traffic control and signage in place to safely direct road users through the worksite. Safe pedestrian access will be maintained through the worksite at all times.

What to expect:

  • temporary lane closures and some traffic delays
  • traffic controllers and signage to safely direct road users and pedestrians
  • deliveries of machinery, equipment and materials to site
  • construction vehicle movements with reversing alarms and flashing lights
  • construction noise, including excavation, compaction, saw cutting and grinding activities
  • temporary lighting at the work site
  • concreting and asphalt works to reinstate the footpath.

Please note, noisy works such as saw cutting will take place intermittently, and every effort will be made to complete these works before 11pm, where possible. Due to workplace health and safety requirements, reversing beepers cannot be switched off. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience while Council completes this important safety upgrade.

Project summary

This table provides summary information about the Main Street and River Terrace intersection upgrade including address, ward, project outcomes and latest update.
Address Main Street and River Terrace, Kangaroo Point
Ward The Gabba
Project outcomes Improved safety
Latest update

Completed mid-November 2020

About the project

The project was undertaken to improve safety for all road users. The upgrade was jointly funded by Council and the Australian Government as part of the Australian Government’s Roads to Recovery program. 

Additional works to widen the path on the western side of Main Street, between River Terrace and Amesbury Street have been carried out as part of the intersection upgrade. These works are an initiative of the Queensland Government through the COVID Works for Queensland program.

Construction started in July 2020 and works were successfully completed ahead of schedule in mid-November 2020.

The intersection was identified as a location within Council’s Major Road network which required an upgrade to improve safety for all road users due to the high number of crashes recorded. A significant number of the crashes involved rear-end and sideswipe vehicle crashes related to the southbound shared through and right-turn lane on Main Street.

The upgrade has reduced the risk of vehicle crashes by separating the shared through and right-turn southbound lane to provide two dedicated through lanes on Main Street and two dedicated right-turn lanes from Main Street into River Terrace. This change ensures vehicles travelling through the intersection are not unsafely manoeuvring around vehicles waiting to turn right into River Terrace.

The project involved:

  • upgrading the existing traffic lights at Main Street and River Terrace, and Main Street and Pearson Street intersections
  • implementing two dedicated right-turn lanes and two through lanes on Main Street southbound approach to the intersection
  • reducing the total number of lanes from three to two on Main Street northbound through the intersection to facilitate the additional right-turn lane layout
  • constructing new traffic islands and centre medians
  • reducing on-street parking on the eastern end of River Terrace between Main Street and Paton Street and relocating a bus zone and loading zone
  • widening the footpath on the western side of Main Street between River Terrace and Amesbury Street to a minimum of 2.5 metres except for isolated ‘pinch points’
  • retaining three significant fig trees at the intersection
  • removing seven street trees on Main Street with offset replanting carried out in the local area
  • landscaping works.

Council would like to thank residents and businesses for their patience and cooperation during these important safety works.

The project will now enter a defects period, in which Council will work with the Contractor to maintain and manage any defects and minor works such as landscaping as well as demobilising the site compound.

Changed speed condition for River Terrace

In addition to the intersection upgrade, Council has permanently reduced the speed limit on River Terrace from 60km/h to 50km/h. This permanent change will come into effect from 20 November 2020.

Bus stop and shelter reinstated

The northbound bus stop on Main Street at the intersection with River Terrace (stop 8) and bus stop shelter has been reinstated back at its permanent location.

Future pedestrian crossing

Council is also planning to construct a new signalised pedestrian crossing on River Terrace, between Paton Street and Bell Street. Investigations to inform the design for this upgrade to pedestrian facilities were recently completed. This upgrade will be considered as funding is made available.

Project documents

Download the:

More information

For more information about the Main Street and River Terrace intersection upgrade, you can:

  • phone the project team on 1800 669 416 during business hours
  • phone Council’s 24-hours Contact Centre on 07 3403 8888 
  • email the project team
  • write to:
    Main Street and River Terrace intersection upgrade project
    City Projects Office
    Brisbane City Council
    GPO Box 1434
    Brisbane Qld 4001.
Last updated: 18 June 2021