UPGRADES to the Bicentennial boardwalk will begin on April 24 and continue for six weeks.
The construction will take place on the section of boardwalk that runs between Coral Sea Marina and Coral Sea Resort, resulting in a temporary closure of this section while works are underway.
The boardwalk runs from Cannonvale to Airlie Beach, it is approximately four kilometre long and takes roughly 30 minutes to walk.
The timber sections of the boardwalk date back to the late 1990s and are starting to show their age.
Council needs to complete maintenance more frequently, as the path is used more with the population boom and the heightened use of bikes, e-scooters, and foot travel in the area.
The upgrades will include increasing the width of the path by approximately one metre, which is intended to increase the capacity for people able to use the path, hopefully helping to alleviate conflicts between people on foot and cyclists/scooters.
The current timber will be replaced with a composite fibre material, intended to extend its life, and substantially ease maintenance costs.
Works will involve demolition of the current boardwalk, with the hardwood timber being preserved for future projects. Footings will be retained but all timber will be replaced.
Subject to weather, the boardwalk will be closed for approximately six weeks, with some minor works taking place prior to and after the closure to reduce impacts on the community.
During the six-week closure, a detour will be available for pedestrians via Shute Harbour Road and council is investigating the opportunity for additional Whitsunday Transit bus services to stop at Coral Sea Marina.
Further upgrades to the remaining sections of the boardwalk may be delivered in stages, subject to future grant funding.
The Australian Government’s ‘Local Roads and Community Infrastructure’ grant supported this initial stage.
