Chaos: Roadworks will cause delays on the Ipswich Motorway.
DRIVERS on the Ipswich Motorway will face several long delays over the next two weeks as construction crews carry out road upgrades.
A long stretch of the Ipswich-bound lanes on the motorway will be closed for 19 hours this weekend so underground drainage works can be installed beneath the road.
Then for four days starting next Thursday the eastbound Brisbane lanes will be closed during certain hours at Redbank to remove a bridge and to install drainage works and gantries.
Regional Director for Metropolitan Region Miles Vass said the works were essential to protect the millions of dollars worth of work already undertaken on Ipswich Motorway upgrades.
"There's a lot happening on the motorway this month, with significant activity planned to progress the upgrade works," he said. "These works are an essential part of the motorway upgrade and will increase the motorway's flood immunity in the future."
This weekend the westbound lanes of the motorway will be closed between 5pm Saturday to noon on Sunday.
During these works all Ipswich and Logan Motorway traffic heading Ipswich-bound will be diverted at the Goodna/Redbank exits at Gailes, along the Brisbane Road service road. Motorists will re-enter the motorway via the Goodna on-ramp near William Street.
Major works will also be undertaken next week between Redbank and Wacol, including removal of the existing Law Street pedestrian bridge at Red- bank.Traffic on the Ipswich Motorway heading to Brisbane will be diverted off the motorway at Brisbane Road, Redbank during the following times:
From 7pm on Thursday, May 13, to 5am Friday, May 14;
From 7pm on Friday, May 14 to 5am Saturday, May 15;
From 5pm on Saturday, May 15, to noon Sunday, May 16;
From 7pm on Sunday, May 16, to 5am Monday, May 17.
Brisbane-bound traffic will be diverted via Brisbane Road at Redbank through to Brisbane Terrace at Goodna.
The detour will then continue along Wilruna Street at Gailes to the Progress Road Interchange at Wacol.
Heavy vehicles will be detoured over the Henry Ellerton bridge – the City of Ipswich bridge – at Gailes.
Main Roads apologised for the delays the roadworks would cause some drivers.
The works are budgeted under the $1.95 billion Federal Government-funded Ipswich Motorway Dinmore to Goodna upgrade.
Works hit a hurdle last year and costs blew out from original cost estimates of $1.1 billion after engineers discovered abandoned mine shafts where new lanes were to be built. The upgrade includes the widening of the Ipswich Motorway to a minimum of six lanes and construction of new service roads.
