Elizabeth Avenue Overpass

Elevating safety: A seamless pre-engineered solution for pedestrian overpass 

Moddex’s pre-engineered Bridgerail™ balustrades simplified compliance and streamlined installation for Brisbane’s Elizabeth Avenue pedestrian overpass.  

The overpass provides Clontarf Beach State High School students with a safe crossing to their playing fields, bypassing a busy, four-lane highway. This community project enhances safety for all, from the elderly and less mobile to cyclists and those using mobility aids.  

Jointly funded by the Federal and Queensland governments, the single-span overpass, with its protective barriers, improves safety and connectivity for the entire community. The project also includes fauna fencing to keep native wildlife off the road, offering added protection for all.  

For the balustrades and handrails, Moddex customised its Bridgerail™ Bridge Barriers to suit the engineer’s bridge and ramp design. With a 100-year design life, the modular system eliminated site welding, accelerating installation by 30% compared to traditional systems.  

From the outset, Moddex partnered with project engineers SMEC on the customisation. We were able to modify our standard Bridgerail™ system to suit the unique needs of this public project.  

Customising for complete compliance 

Typically, our Bridgerail™ system features a handrail that curves into the footpath, but in this case, SMEC requested a vertical balustrade connection and the addition of a kick plate at the base.  

Using SMEC’s full digital model, Moddex’s in-house engineers ran calculations to design a solution that would meet both AS 5100 and AS1428.1 disability standards.  

Bridgerail™ is usually 1200mm high, but for this overpass, the engineers increased community safety with a 1400mm balustrade, bolted into the steel structure and supporting an offset, continuous grab rail. The entire structure is made of galvanised steel.  

We designed the post layout and elevations to match the exact geometries of the structure, producing construction drawings for accurate pricing, consent and scheduling. After contract approval, we then completed the final shop drawings for fabrication. 

Efficient installation with detailed design 

The beauty of Moddex’s pre-engineered no-weld system is its ability to ensure compliance while minimising installation time.  

Every post, panel and rail is meticulously itemised and aligned with our installation drawings, making on-site assembly as simple as ‘place, fit, and go’ for the main contractor.  

This is where Moddex excels. Feedback from the project was highly positive, especially regarding the ease of installation—a direct result of our detailed design and engineering capabilities. It’s a thorough approach that ensures projects run smoothly for our partners. 

Find out more 

To learn more about our balustrade systems and installation services, get in touch with our team of experts.