General News
15 April, 2026
New $10m marine bridge
A PROPOSED replacement of the Cook Street Bridge at Portsmith is designed to deliver safer, more resilient transport infrastructure for the community, with improved flood capacity, a wider road pavement and a separated cycle lane.
A Cairns Regional Council spokesman said the upgrade was yet to be confirmed, “however, if required, would form part of the broader Cairns Marine Precinct project and will support future growth in one of Cairns’ key industrial areas and the marine and defence industry it supports”.
Council will support the upgrade through a new infrastructure agreement with Ports North, with council’s contribution capped at $1.5 million excluding GST.
The overall bridge replacement project is expected to exceed $10 million.
The spokesman said if the replacement of the bridge was required to enable the Cairns Marine Precinct – Common User Facility, it would be delivered by Ports North under a project-specific design and construction approval process developed with council.
“The new bridge will become a long-term community asset,” he said.
