Riverside Expressway

The Riverside Expressway is part of the Brisbane road network which runs from the end of the Pacific Motorway to Coronation Drive, hugging the Brisbane River and CBD. Construction began in late 1968 on the North bank of the Brisbane River with final completion in 1975. It is six lanes wide, with three lanes in each direction and ramps entering and exiting the Brisbane CBD. Up to 150,000 cars use the Expressway each workday.


Part of the Expressway includes the Captain Cook Bridge. This section was officially opened to traffic on 26 February 1973. With the high traffic flows it is the second busiest bridge in Australia after the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Both the Bridge and Expressway were refurbished in 2006, however, the discovery of hairline fractures in parts meant sections of the expressway were closed, causing traffic chaos across the city. Many people didn't realise how much we relied on this significant piece of infrastructure until its access to us was removed. Today you can even watch a web cam of traffic on the Expressway to esnure you don't get it any traffic snarls.


Most people may think "What's with putting a road on a tourism and travel blog?" The fact is, this 3km stretch of road is one of the most travelled in the whole State. If you come to Brisbane from South, West or North, chances are you will use all or part of it. It offers spectacular views of the city and the river, as well as across to Southbank. It is an engineering marvel, and even aesthetically it adds a visual dimension to the city from above as it wraps and snakes its way along the river, its tendrils reaching into the city. To me, its creation was all part of when the city grew up.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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