Commuters are being warned to brace for long delays and disruption as major roadworks begin on the long-awaited duplication of the Fishery Creek and Canal bridges—projects expected to stretch across the next three years and cost as much as $100 million.

On Tuesday, traffic snarled for up to 20 minutes along River Street and back to the M1 as early works began on relocating utilities to make way for construction.

The large-scale infrastructure upgrade is one of the biggest and most complex in Ballina Shire since the completion of the M1, aiming to eliminate a notorious bottleneck and bolster emergency evacuation routes in times of flooding. But it comes with a cost—both in time and money.

“This is going to be painful in the short term, there’s no sugar-coating it,” Ballina Shire Mayor Sharon Cadwallader said. 

 “We’re asking commuters to be patient and plan for delays—this is a two-to-three year construction zone, and the disruption will be significant.”

The duplication project involves widening both Fishery Creek and Canal bridges to four lanes, along with raising key sections of River Street and Tamarind Drive to improve flood resilience. Once completed, the upgrades will create dual lanes in and out of Ballina Island and support future traffic growth.

Budget Pressure and Confidential Land Deal

The project has also placed pressure on Ballina Shire Council’s budget, with a confidential session held last week to resolve a key land acquisition issue critical to the Canal Bridge widening.

Mayor Cadwallader acknowledged the sensitivity of the matter: “There was a small but essential triangle of land needed for the Canal Bridge approaches. Council had to make some tough calls to make sure we could proceed. It’s not a major budget blowout, but it required careful financial planning and administrative manoeuvring.”

Despite receiving a $48 million federal grant, rising construction costs have inflated the expected price tag well beyond initial estimates.

“When we first scoped this, we thought we could do it for less, but inflation and construction costs have pushed it to potentially $70 million or more,” the mayor said. “We’ve had to be realistic and rework our finances accordingly.”

At last week’s meeting, Council reaffirmed its commitment to the bridge duplication and broader road widening works, including North Creek Road and the approaches to Tamarind Drive and the Aldi roundabout.

Long-Term Gains, Short-Term Pain

For now, residents are being urged to adjust their routines and factor in extra travel time.

“The end result will be worth it—safer roads, better evacuation options, and smoother traffic flow,” Mayor Cadwallader said. “But for now, it’s going to test everyone’s patience.”

The full project is expected to be completed by late 2027.