The ACT Government is delivering roads and associated infrastructure upgrades to improve access in and around the Molonglo Valley, to keep Canberra moving as we grow.
The construction of the new Molonglo River Bridge and completion of John Gorton Drive will transform the Molonglo region and better connect the suburbs of Molonglo including Denman Prospect and Whitlam to the rest of Canberra.
As part of the construction of the Molonglo River Bridge project, Coppins Crossing Road between Holborow Avenue and Hazel Hawke Avenue will be closed from 2am Thursday 12 March to 6pm Friday 13 March, with a weather contingency that may extend the closure until 6pm Saturday 14 March.
During the closures, parapets will be installed on the bridge structure over Coppins Crossing Road. Parapets are a low, vertical barrier extending above the edge of the bridge to act as a safety guardrail.
Further work requiring the full closure of Coppins Crossing Road is planned until mid-2026. These dates are yet to be confirmed but will include the following works:
- Precast parapet installation – safety barriers to be placed on the northbound bridge structure.
- Twin rails and throw screen barriers – rails separating the northbound and southbound bridge structure, and screens to stop objects being thrown from the bridge.
These closures are necessary to ensure the safety of road users, the public, and other personnel who would be present on and around the project site.
During all closures, motorists are encouraged to rethink their routine and avoid travel during peak periods when possible, and where travel must occur, plan ahead and leave extra time for your journey.
Detours for the closures are as follows:
- Southbound from Belconnen: From William Hovell Drive, take the off ramp to Parkes Way and merge onto Tuggeranong Parkway.
- Northbound from Molonglo Valley: From John Gorton Drive, turn onto Cotter Road then follow the ramp onto Tuggeranong Parkway, and take the left exit at Glenloch interchange to merge onto William Hovell Drive.
Future updates will be provided on the Build for CBR website. We thank the community for their patience, as we work to keep Canberrans, and project workers safe on-site during construction.
For details of changes to public transport during the closure, please refer to details on the Transport Canberra website at https://www.transport.act.gov.au/news/service-alerts-and-updates.
About the project
The Molonglo River Bridge project is constructing a 200-metre-long bridge across the Molonglo Nature Reserve and river, as well as 1.7 kilometres of new arterial roads leading to the bridge and two new intersections.
The new bridge, roads and intersections will provide access to the future Molonglo Town Centre from the suburb of Whitlam and future northern Molonglo Valley suburbs.
The works include important active travel links with off-road shared paths and a pedestrian underpass to encourage more Canberrans to ride or walk to get to their destination.
This project is jointly funded by the Australian and ACT Governments as part of the Commonwealth's Infrastructure Investment Program.
To stay up to date on the impacts, visit www.act.gov.au/builtforcbr/travel-impacts
