Legacy Way Tunnel Power Failure Brings Brisbane Traffic to a Standstill

Legacy Way tunnel

Editor’s note: Transurban reopened Legacy Way after 5:00 p.m. 5 February 2025.

Legacy Way tunnel closure caused severe traffic congestion across Brisbane after a power supply issue forced its sudden shutdown.


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Severe Traffic Jams Across Brisbane

The shutdown began at 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning and caused major delays across key routes into the CBD. Some commuters reported their usual 20-minute trips stretching to over 90 minutes.

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The Department of Transport and Main Roads quickly issued an alert advising motorists to find alternative routes.

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However, the diversion led to even more congestion, as surrounding roads became heavily clogged. It wasn’t until just before 10am that traffic conditions started to improve.

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Legacy Way tunnel
Driving along the tunnel
Photo Credit: Wikimedia

The tunnel closure triggered widespread gridlock, with several major roads experiencing heavy congestion. The worst-affected areas included:

– Milton Road and the Inner City Bypass – long delays and bumper-to-bumper traffic.
– Western Freeway – city-bound traffic backed up 10km from Mount Coot-Tha to Sumner.
– Kelvin Grove Road and Coronation Drive – crawling speeds of just 8km/h.
– Moggill Road – journey times from Kenmore to the CBD stretched to nearly an hour.

By mid-morning, traffic on the Inner City Bypass was gridlocked from Bowen Hills to the Riverside Expressway, with flow-on effects reaching as far as Sandgate Road in Albion.

Frustrated Commuters Call It ‘Apocalyptic’

Many Brisbane commuters described the traffic as some of the worst they had ever experienced.

One commuter shared that her usual 10-minute drive along Abbotsford Road ended up taking 35 minutes, despite her GPS estimating just 18 minutes. Another driver said the congestion was “insane”, adding that they had never experienced anything like it before. 



What Caused the Legacy Way Tunnel Shutdown?

A Transurban spokesperson confirmed that the closure was due to a power supply issue caused by an incident at one of the tunnel’s substations.

Power restoration is ongoing to reopen the tunnel as soon as possible. Meanwhile, motorists are advised to seek alternative routes as both directions are closed, the spokesperson added. 

There is no confirmed reopening time yet, and authorities are urging drivers to stay updated with live traffic reports and allow for extra travel time while repairs continue.

Published 5-Feb-2025