Last Super T Girder is Home on The Range

The last of 522 Super T girders’ journey from the factory to its home on the viaduct at Mount Kynoch has been captured on camera to mark the important milestone in the construction of the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing (TSRC).

Department of Transport and Main Roads Regional Director (Downs South West) Kym Murphy said the final girder’s journey was captured with a camera attached to the top of the 80 tonne girder.

Footage of the girder’s journey below:

“The viaduct is the linchpin of the TSRC because at 800 metres long it directly links the summit of the Great Dividing Range and the Lockyer Valley on a relatively flat grade,” Ms Murphy said.

“This delivery marked the completion of girder installation on the bridge so it was only fitting that we captured the moment.

“It’s a key feature of the design to achieve a maximum 6.5 per cent grade during the crossing, making it flatter than the existing range crossing.

“Making the TSRC flatter and straighter in its alignment is important for transport operators as it helps reduce operating costs for fuel and wear-and-tear on vehicles.

“It’s also safer for the drivers and is less disruptive for residents in Toowoomba and Withcott, who have lived with the existing Warrego Highway running through their Central Business Districts.

“The viaduct’s elevation at more than 50 metres in some parts, also provides areas for fauna, including koalas, to pass under the TSRC in their local habitat.”

Ms Murphy said the delivery of pre-cast components for the project’s 30 bridges was a huge logistical feat for contractor Nexus.

“Nexus transported 1020 pre-cast bridge components (522 Super T girders, 498 deck units) from Brisbane to the road alignment, with the decision to have them manufactured off site and transported overnight to minimise disruption to residents,” Ms Murphy said.

“With the final girder in place on the viaduct, the TSRC bridge construction program is 99 per cent complete.

 “The Warrego Highway Toowoomba Range section is the region’s busiest road, with about 23,000 vehicle movements daily and a large percentage of heavy vehicles.

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