Ross Canal Cycleway.

Client RPEQ Engineers
Design Partners JMD Design
State Queensland

Making a splash with safer canal access.

Located in the bayside suburb of Cleveland, 30km south-east of the Brisbane CBD, the Ross Canal bridge was delivered as part of a wider upgrade to the Moreton Bay Cycleway.


Fleetwood was appointed by Redland City Council following a competitive tender, tasked with designing, manufacturing and installing a new 30-metre structure based on our standard Balmoral™ bridge system.


Situated directly alongside a busy road that also went over Ross Canal, the project’s key objectives were to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, while also providing easier access to the area’s popular local fishing spots.

Our involvement.

Fleetwood won the project following a competitive tender for Redland City Council, with a proposal based on a customised variation to our standard Balmoral™ bridge system. Once appointed as the lead contractor, we followed proprietary project methodology to design, detail, construct and install the new pedestrian/cycling bridge across Ross Canal.


Measuring 30 metres long and 2.5 metres wide, it was a significant community structure and we worked closely with RPEQ Engineers to ensure it met all Council requirements and best-practice structural standards.

How does this project inspire people to love the outdoors?

The completed bridge over Ross Canal allows Redland Bay residents to relax and admire their local waterways, safely away from vehicles.

  • Design Challenge

    Tides at Ross Canal had to be carefully considered as Redland City Council had very specific requirements regarding the height of the new bridge in relation to the waterline below.


    The structure also needed to be designed in close collaboration with RPEQ Engineers – and be formally certified by them – due to its proximity to the adjacent road.

  • Construction Challenge

    Construction of the bridge went smoothly. The only real challenge came during installation. We had to be very mindful of local traffic as a main road was situated right next to the site.

  • Innovations

    Council guidelines dictated the new bridge needed to be built in a way that would maintain a minimum distance to the waterline at all times. Satisfying this required some innovative and intelligent engineering to ensure the span was both structurally sound and be positioned safely above the waterline, regardless of the local tides and weather.


    To minimise community disruptions, we also constructed the entire bridge off site in sections, before installing them quickly in just days.

  • Safety & Risk Considerations

    Given there was an open road right beside the new bridge, we had to be very mindful of traffic risks. One lane was kept closed throughout the installation, to allow a safe environment for everyone involved.


    We also implemented measures to prevent construction waste from accidentally entering the canal system during installation.

  • Sustainability Considerations

    We had to be sensitive about the waterway below the bridge whilst installing it. We couldn’t impact the water or put any foreign elements into it that would damage it. Hence, why the bridge had to maintain a certain height from the top of the water at all times.


    We managed this by roping off access to the water during the installation phase and ensuring everyone knew their boundaries of where they could and could not go.


    The bridge was also constructed offsite in our factory and then transported to site to save impact on the environment over a long install period and also saved us time and effort onsite as well.

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