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The Kangaroo Point Bridge is one of Brisbane’s most innovative transport links. Stretching 460 metres across the Brisbane River, it connects the suburbs of Kangaroo Point with the city center. Designed for pedestrians and cyclists, the bridge supports Brisbane’s goal of creating a more sustainable and connected city.
The project was delivered by Brisbane City Council with design input from Connect Brisbane with Rizzani de Eccher, Dissing + Weitling, ASPECT Studios, Blight Rayner, Right Angle Studios, and Rowland, among others, and constructed by Besix Watpac.
During construction, workers needed to safely access the upper pylon structure of the bridge to install the cable stays. This required a temporary solution that could be removed once the work was complete and would not damage or change the final look of the bridge.
Infrastructure Access Solutions, working under the Manntech brand, was chosen to design and deliver a tailored access system for this purpose.
The team designed a one-of-a-kind custom Manntech BMU system featuring a central mounting platform known as a “crow’s nest” and two specially shaped cradles on elbow jibs.
These cradles allowed workers to move smoothly along the curved surfaces of the bridge structure. As the cradles travelled downward, they adapted to the changing profile of the pylon, providing full and safe coverage throughout the work area.
To avoid any permanent fixing into the facade of the pylon, tensioned cables were used to guide and stabilize the cradles during operation.
The entire system was mounted at the highest point of the bridge structure, offering a secure base for workers to carry out their tasks and later take the system down without leaving a mark.
Installing the system was challenging, as space at the top of the structure was extremely limited. With support from Besix Watpac’s expert crane team, the system was delivered by barge and lifted into place.
Much of the lifting was done at night to meet site requirements and coordinate with other ongoing work. To make the process more efficient, most parts of the system were assembled in advance.
Infrastructure Access Solutions was selected for their smart design approach, in-house installation team, and reliable project management. The access system made it possible to complete the bridge works safely and efficiently while protecting the clean, modern design of this important Brisbane landmark.
