The Ipswich Motorway – Rocklea-to-Darra Stage 1 Upgrade is a three-kilometre upgrade of the Ipswich Motorway and surrounding services roads. It is located approximately 15 kilometres West of Brisbane’s city centre.

BG&E and Cardno produced the tender design for this project, which was successful and our client – Bielby Hull Albem Joint Venture – undertook the design and construction of the project. The detailed design was completed in approximately nine months thereafter. Due to savings that were achieved as part of the design and construction process, a vital $40 million service road upgrade was added to the scope of works and was delivered within the overall project budget.

Some of the key features of this project include:

• a design which enabled the existing motorway to be raised by two and half metres and widened by a carriageway in each direction, without interrupting the 85,000 vehicles that travelled on it daily;
• a design that significantly improved the flood immunity for a section of motorway that was prone to frequent flooding without creating impacts for adjacent land owners;
• a geotechnical design that addressed settlement issues through a floodplain with very soft ground; and
• an innovative deck unit solution and pile design solution.

This project received an excellence rating from Australia’s Infrastructure Sustainability Council.