The bridge – built by Indooroopilly Toll Bridge Ltd between 1931 and 1936, and designed by its director, Walter Taylor – opened in 1936 and operated as a toll bridge into the 1960s.
Taylor died in 1955 and the bridge, then known as the Indooroopilly Toll Bridge, was renamed the Walter Taylor Bridge in 1956 in recognition of his achievements.
Then Queensland governor Sir Leslie Orme (far left) crosses the Indooroopilly Toll Bridge on its opening day in 1936 with its designer, Walter Taylor (far right).Credit: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.
Until the early 2000s, people lived in the northern bridge tower, and when it was a toll bridge, supervisors lived in both the northern and southern towers.
The bridge will close from 9am on Friday, September 13, to 5am on Monday, September 30, for major maintenance works, Wines said. These include joint and critical concrete repairs, a full road resurface and waterproofing.
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“The complexity of these works mean they must be completed around the clock and the bridge cannot be in use as vibrations could jeopardise the final structural integrity of the works,” he said.
“The Walter Taylor Bridge is an iconic heritage-listed structure that needs ongoing maintenance to ensure people can continue to use it for decades to come.”
Major works were also carried out in 2013 and 1993, he added.
During the 2013 works, the bridge was closed at night for five months, but for only two full days. This time it will be fully closed for 17 days to enable a more comprehensive overhaul.
The work will not interfere with the Ipswich rail line, which runs on the downstream side of the Walter Taylor Bridge, nor the adjacent Jack Pesch cycling bridge.
Road signs will give motorists more advice on the closure closer to September.
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