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Story Bridge renewal

Learn about Council's plan to renew the Story Bridge.

A good story needs a sequel

For more than 86 years, the Story Bridge has endured as the heartbeat of our city.

It has supported generations of people across the Brisbane River, connected communities, and become one of our most recognisable landmarks. Even its unmistakable sound – that rhythmic 'ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum' – is so woven into our daily lives that most of us have stopped hearing it.

A story as great as our iconic bridge needs another chapter. That's why Council has a renewal plan to ensure it remains a part of Brisbane's backdrop for the next 100 years. 

Speaker 1 - Narrator (voiceover): It's said a good story needs a bold beginning, a defining first chapter, an early link between what is and what could be.

It needs a heartbeat, a rhythm to tie it all together.

A good story needs romance, adventure, triumphs and tests of strength.

Now, after more than eight decades, this story needs a new chapter, one of restoration and renewal to welcome new characters and new journeys, staying true to the reason this story began.

Speaker 2 - Announcer (voiceover): Welcome to Brisbane. The river winds broad and deep right to the heart of the city itself.

Speaker 1 - Narrator (voiceover): A good story needs a sequel. Search 'story bridge renewal' to find out more.

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Full bridge closure from 27 December 2026 to 18 January 2027

The Story Bridge will be closed to all traffic for up to 3 weeks from 27 December while major works are undertaken on the southern approach of the bridge and parts of the Bradfield Highway.

The eastern footpath will remain open during this time.

Learn more about the closure.

The Story Bridge:

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Critical transport link.

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Iconic landmark in Brisbane's skyline.

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Centrepiece for key Brisbane events.

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Key tourism attraction.

Share your story

We all have a story to tell and for more than 8 decades, the Story Bridge has been part of our city's story as an iconic backdrop to generations of memories.

As we plan for its future through a major renewal, we're inviting the community to share their story by submitting their favourite memory of the Story Bridge – from your family photo album or from more recent times.

Share your story
Historical, black and white image of group of construction workers on the Story Bridge.

History of the Story Bridge

Construction of the Story Bridge began on 24 May 1935. It was built over 5 years at a cost of £1.6 million. This was an enormous sum at the time and reflected Queensland’s largest investment in a public project up to that point.

When the bridge opened on 6 July 1940, it represented more than a remarkable feat of engineering. As Australia’s longest cantilever bridge, it unlocked a new era of prosperity for Brisbane. Built to close the divide between Kangaroo Point and Fortitude Valley, the bridge quickly became an invaluable public asset, connecting people to work, home, celebrations and each other.

As the following decades unfolded, the Story Bridge watched Brisbane grow around it, standing strong through some of our city’s most defining moments, as an ever-present symbol of our collective ingenuity, resilience and ambition.

Now, after decades of service and millions of journeys, the Story Bridge is approaching the end of its original design life. An icon that has given so much to our city needs a long-term renewal, so it can connect Brisbane for generations to come.

The renewal plan

Today, the Story Bridge carries 100,000 vehicles a day, as well as thousands of pedestrians and cyclists every day, with 43% of users coming from outside of Brisbane.

While we continue to significantly invest in its upkeep, a major renewal is now required to preserve its critical role in our region’s transport network and as a major cultural landmark for our city.

In 2025, the Australian Government partnered with Council to fund the Story Bridge Renewal Business Case. The draft business case is complete, and Council will work with Infrastructure Australia to undertake an evaluation of the document ahead of the final submission in late 2026.

In June, we released a progress update to provide early insights into the scope of the renewal required to secure the bridge’s future. While the bridge's lifespan runs until 2040, major interventions are required before then to renew the structure and keep Brisbane moving.

We formed an independent committee in October 2024 to develop a renewal roadmap for the Story Bridge and support the development of a business case. The below report outlines the committee’s findings and provides a pathway to renew the bridge over the next 20 years. 

Timeline

Stage 1 - 2019-2025

Complete
  • Initial renewal works.
  • Broader bridge investigations and assessment.
  • Committee report released.

Stage 2 - Late 2025-late 2026

In progress
  • Business Case development.

Stage 3 - Early 2027

Upcoming
  • Minor renewal works commence.

Stage 4 - Late 2027 and beyond

Future
  • Major renewal works commence subject to funding availability.

Image gallery

Explore our image gallery and discover the Story Bridge over the years.

Maintenance and works

We have been responsible for maintaining the Story Bridge since it was transferred from the Queensland Government to Council in 1947. 

Regardless of regular upkeep over many decades, including more than $120 million in bridge maintenance over the last 20 years, the bridge has naturally aged.

While regular maintenance will continue, we need a long-term renewal program to keep the Story Bridge safe and functional beyond its 100th anniversary in 2040.

Upcoming bridge closure - 27 December 2026 to 18 January 2027

As part of Council's citywide Operation Smooth program, and our ongoing commitment to maintaining and improving the city's transport network, we will be undertaking major waterproofing and resurfacing works. The works will occur on the southern approach of the Story Bridge in Kangaroo Point, as well as other sections of the Bradfield Highway.

During these works, the Story Bridge will be closed to all traffic for up to 3 weeks from 1am on Sunday 27 December 2026.

Pedestrians, cyclists and scooter riders will continue to have access across the bridge via the eastern footpath. The western footpath will be temporarily closed to facilitate construction activities.

Access will be maintained for emergency services vehicles only, responding to urgent incidents with lights and sirens.

To minimise disruption to the community and wider transport network, these works will be carried out during the December to January holiday period, when demand on the transport network is typically lower.

Works will occur around the clock, weather and construction conditions permitting, and will include:

  • waterproofing and resurfacing works on the southern approach of the bridge (Kangaroo Point)
  • bridge expansion joint maintenance on the main bridge span
  • resurfacing works along parts of the Bradfield Highway, north and south of the bridge.

During this time, the bridge will be closed to all road traffic and there will be traffic diversions in place. Motorists can expect delays and should note that traffic controllers, police and signage will be in place for the duration of the closure.

The Story Bridge eastern footpath will be open for pedestrians, cyclists and scooter riders.

We will maintain access across the bridge for emergency services vehicles only, responding to urgent incidents with lights and sirens.

Motorists are advised to plan their journey in advance:

During the full closure of the Story Bridge, navigation apps such as Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps will help drivers choose the most suitable route for their journey.

Some bus routes will also be impacted and public transport users are advised to:

If you live, work or travel through the area, you can sign up to receive updates.

Sign up now

Frequently asked questions

The Story Bridge is an ageing asset. While it has been well maintained, ageing assets require renewal to extend their operational lives.

The bridge was built in the 1940's for a very different Brisbane. Today, heavier vehicles are placing far greater demands on the structure than in its early operating years. The bridge now carries around 10 times more daily traffic than it did when it first opened, including modern cars, buses, freight and commercial vehicles, some weighing up to 42.5 tonnes.

All bridges are engineered to have a certain design life, after which they need major work outside of the scope of typical maintenance. The Story Bridge requires a full renewal so it can continue serving South East Queensland for another 100 years.

Bridge maintenance is routine work done regularly to keep a bridge in good condition and avoid bigger issues. Bridge renewal is major work carried out when a bridge is nearing the end of its design life, involving significant upgrades to extend its use.

Council is developing a long-term renewal plan to preserve the heritage-listed Story Bridge for future generations. The renewal program is being informed by a detailed business case prepared with specialist engineering advice. It includes planning for major works such as steel and concrete repairs, replacing ageing components, improving bridge access and upgrading essential services.

At the same time, Council continues to invest in ongoing maintenance and improvement works while seeking a funding partnership with the Australian Governments to help secure the future of this iconic bridge.

Business case investigations indicate that replacing the Story Bridge with a new structure is not a practical or realistic alternative to renewing the existing structure. Building a new bridge on the same constrained inner-city alignment could cost more than $8.5 billion.

Notwithstanding the heritage status of the Story Bridge, in a built-up inner-city environment a new bridge solution would create major challenges for alignment, property impacts, timing, cost and transport network.

The cost of a new bridge would also be significantly higher than renewing the existing bridge. The cost of decommissioning the Story Bridge alone is estimated at $740 million.

Keeping the bridge safe and operating until 2033 would still require a further $102 million in interim works and operating costs which would be ineffective if the bridge were then replaced. However, by this point renewal may no longer be a viable scenario due to deterioration progressing to a point where it is beyond saving, forcing the need for a costly new bridge.

Current business case work indicates the total cost to undertake the full Story Bridge renewal project over a 20-year period is expected to be in the order of $3.6 billion, with $1.35 billion required before 2032.

This reflects the complex nature of major heritage infrastructure projects and the scale of works likely to be required over the life of the program to renew, protect and preserve the bridge. It allows for a staged approach that balances engineering need, heritage considerations and the practical realities of delivering work on a live transport asset.

In comparison, the cost to build a new bridge would be more than double the cost of a renewal. Alternatively, the cost of doing nothing would significantly increase congestion on Brisbane’s road network and reliance on toll roads.

With 43% of bridge users coming from outside of Brisbane, it's not just up to Council to fund this important project. A full renewal needs to be funded by all levels of government. This aligns with other bridges around Australia that are similar in age, size and scale to the Story Bridge.

We are getting on with the job of renewing the Story Bridge, and backing its future with a $135 million investment through to 2032 to deliver the priority works needed.

However, we need support from the Federal Government to secure this once-in-a-century renewal.

More information

For more information you can:

  • phone the project team on 07 3178 5413 (8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday)
  • phone Council’s 24-hour Contact Centre on 07 3403 8888 (outside business hours)
  • email the project team
  • register for project updates  
  • write to:
  • Story Bridge renewal
    Brisbane City Council
    GPO Box 1434
    Brisbane QLD 4001.