Background
Gracemere, just outside of Rockhampton, has become one of the fastest developing precincts in the area. With population and industry expected to rise over the coming years, a number of civil infrastructure projects have been
undertaken to prepare for the influx of people and vehicles in the future.
One such project is the Lawrie Street Upgrade, designed to reduce congestion by providing additional capacity –
widening the road from two lanes to four – and thereby creating a safer road user experience for drivers, pedestrians
and bike riders. Part of the pedestrian and cyclist safety plan is the construction of a footbridge over a section of the road.
Challenge
The footbridge required a suitable, compliant, guardrail system to keep pedestrians and cyclists safe. The system had to be customised for the project, but architects and contractors were looking to keep installation and certification times onsite as quick as possible to minimise disruption within the project.
Solution
SMEC Architects contacted Moddex more than six months before the tender process kicked off, with a brief to design a compliant rail system for the project. With detailed knowledge of the engineering and compliance requirements for this type of project, relying on Moddex’s expertise saved the architect significant time and effort by not having to create their own design.
With the specifics of the project in mind, the Moddex team were able to identify their Bridgerail and Bikesafe barriers as the most suitable solutions for the project. The Bridgerail would be installed across the 40-50 metre span of the bridge, whereas the Bikesafe barriers would line the access points to the bridge, keeping pedestrians and cyclists safe from vehicles nearby. The products were selected based on their shape, load ratings, and guidance from one of Moddex’s in-house engineers, allowing all calculations and certification to happen prior to fabrication and installation – resulting in far fewer engineering hoops to jump through further in the project. Plus, the Bridgerail system was engineered to meet the AS5100.2 clause of the 12.5 standard, an aspect of compliance that was pivotal for SMEC.
The product also provided significant benefit during the installation phase. As a pre-engineered modular flatpack, the product was able to be sent ahead of time, ready to be installed when the onsite schedule allowed. This cut down potential delays by allowing all trades to work in and around the rail installation more fluidly. In addition, the installation was able to be completed without the need for specialist equipment, and with no specialised trade required – keeping contractors minimal onsite.
For the Lawrie St bridge project, being able to specify a pre-engineered, compliant solution saved both architects and contractors significant time, money, and headache. The expertise and technical knowledge of the Moddex team – combined with a modular project – was invaluable in bringing this important civil project to completion.
