The northbound span of the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge will close to all traffic from January 7 as two years of renewal work begins.  

The National Capital Authority is undertaking essential bridge strengthening and widening of the shared paths. 

The NCA says the $174.5 million upgrades to the bridge are the most significant since it opened to traffic in 1963.

“We acknowledge the closure of Commonwealth Avenue Bridge, alongside other projects in construction simultaneously across the ACT, create significant disruption to the road and shared path network for Canberrans and visitors to the National Capital,” the NCA says.

From January 7 there will be a full closure of the northbound span – lanes and shared path.

The southbound span will have; two northbound lanes with one for general traffic and one bus and emergency services priority lane and one southbound lane for general traffic.

The Flynn Drive on-ramp to Commonwealth Avenue northbound will be closed, with a detour via Coronation Drive.

Northbound (towards the city) traffic will merge into one lane near Albert Hall and move on to the southbound span of the bridge via the newly constructed crossover lanes.

Southbound traffic (toward Parliament House) will merge into one lane after Albert Street and continue on the southbound span of the bridge

The removal of the two sets of flagpoles along Commonwealth Avenue and construction of temporary crossover lanes in the medians at either end of the bridge will be completed before the end of the year. 

More at  nca.gov.au/commbridge.