A new year of traffic changes – what you need to know before you head into Civic!

Posted on 6 January, 2026

Commuters, there’s no easy way around the fact that Civic is going to be a bit difficult to negotiate over the next while.

For those of you returning to work, we thought we would bring you the latest traffic advice direct from the mouth of our Minister for City and Government Services Tara Cheyne, as things are going to look very different from this week and beyond.

Yes, we know it is frustrating, but we are simply passing the information on, so please don’t shoot the messenger! Strap in…

LIGHT RAIL STAGE 2A

• From 4 January 2026, work will commence at the Alinga Street light rail stop and along Northbourne Avenue between Rudd Street/Bunda Street and Vernon Circle intersection to prepare for track installation later in the month, which will connect it to the existing light rail network at the intersection of Northbourne Avenue and Alinga Street (the Alinga Street stop).
• Northbourne Avenue will be fully closed in both directions between Vernon Circle and Cooyong Street, with detours in place and some localised access permitted under traffic control. You will start to see public realm improvements in the intersection and surrounding area, including new traffic signals, street lighting and retaining walls, followed by paving, asphalting and some landscaping to prepare the area for future track installation and the wire-free zone through the city.
• Works are also occurring near Netball ACT in Lyneham which are required to begin connecting the new traction power substation to support light rail services to Commonwealth Park.

What does this mean for the road network?

• From 7 am Sunday 4 January to 5 am Monday 2 February, Northbourne Avenue will be fully closed to traffic in both directions between Vernon Circle and Cooyong Street (local traffic excepted). The intersection of Northbourne Avenue and Alinga Street will be fully closed, including the pedestrian crossings across Alinga Street and the Alinga Street light rail stop. Pedestrians crossing Northbourne Avenue will need to use the crossings at Rudd Street/Bunda Street (north) or London Circuit (south) during this time. Alternative cycle routes will be provided between Cooyong Street and Vernon Circle, via Bunda Street southbound and Marcus Clarke Street northbound. Please follow detour signs and traffic management directions for the duration of work.*
• From 7 am Monday 12 January to 6 pm Friday 23 January, Northbourne Avenue will be reduced to one-lane in each direction between Mouat Street and Thurbon Road. The northbound lanes of Northbourne Avenue will be entirely closed between Mouat Street and Swinden Street from 8 pm Friday 16 January to 6 am Monday 19 January. Southbound traffic on Northbourne Avenue between Swinden Street and Mouat Street will remain as a single lane between 16 and 19 January.

What does it mean for public transport?

• There will be no light rail services operating between Alinga Street and Sandford Street from the first service on Monday 12 January to the last service on Friday 23 January. Light rail stops north of Mitchell between Sandford Street and Gungahlin Place will continue operating for the duration of these works. There are no changes to operating hours. The Park and Ride facilities at EPIC, Well Station Drive and Swinden Street will also remain open.
  CDC-operated rail replacement buses will run at the normal light rail frequency, or better, between platform 4 of the city bus interchange and Sandford Street and continue on to Well Station Drive. See comments below.
• Platforms 1, 2, 3, 4* at the city bus interchange will be closed from Monday 5 January to Sunday 1 February.

*CDC-operated rail replacement buses will operate from Platform 4 from 12 January to 23 January. Transport Canberra bus services, which normally depart from these platforms, will be temporarily moved to other interchange platforms on Mort Street. See comments below.

COMMONWEALTH AVENUE BRIDGE

• To safely complete the main construction works on the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge, it is necessary to close each side of the bridge for around 12 months per side. The northbound span of the bridge will close first. The southbound span will have two northbound lanes and one southbound lane available on the open bridge span. There will be one lane of general traffic in both directions. The second northbound lane will be a bus and emergency services priority lane.
• Prior to closing the northbound side of the bridge, traffic changes are required to install permanent bollards (separating the northbound and southbound traffic lanes), signage and line marking. It will take approximately three days to complete these works with the full closure of the northbound side of the bridge in effect from Thursday 8 January.
• Works will be undertaken Monday to Friday 7 am to 6 pm, Saturday 8 am to 1 pm (as required). The majority of works will occur either inside the bridge deck or beneath the bridge and may not be highly visible to the public. Works beneath the bridge will be carried out from barges and these will begin to arrive in January 2026. There will be some impacts for lake users, including gradual closures of sections of the lake beneath the bridge as works progress. Maps will be provided. Note the water level of Lake Burley Griffin is lower to manage risks associated with the Scrivener Dam Dissipator Strengthening Project, not Commonwealth Avenue Bridge works.

What does this mean for the road network?

• By the end of the day on Thursday 8 January, all traffic will move to the eastern span of the bridge. General traffic travelling northbound (towards the city) will merge into one lane near Albert Hall and move onto the southbound side of the bridge via the newly constructed crossover lanes. General traffic travelling southbound (toward Parliament House) will merge into one lane after Albert Street and continue on the southbound side of the bridge. A priority northbound lane will be opened for bus and emergency services only. Traffic arrangements will be changing regularly between Tuesday 6 and Thursday 8 January.
  

The details:

• Tuesday 6 January from 6.45 am to 5 pm: The Flynn Drive on-ramp to Commonwealth Avenue Bridge will be closed to general traffic. Access will be maintained for Transport Canberra vehicles.
•  Tuesday 6 January from 10 am to 3.30 pm Wednesday 7 January: Southbound traffic will be reduced to one lane only and moved into the median (far right) lane. All three northbound lanes and both shared paths will remain open.
• Wednesday 7 January from 3.30 pm to 6 am Thursday 8 January: Southbound traffic will remain one lane only, moving into the far-left lane. Southbound traffic will remain here for the duration of Stage 1. All three northbound lanes and both shared paths will remain open.
• Thursday 8 January: From 6 am – northbound traffic will be reduced to one lane on the northbound side of the bridge and moved into the far-left lanes. The northbound shared path and the Flynn Drive on-ramp to Commonwealth Avenue Bridge will close to general traffic for 12 months.
• From around 1 pm – northbound traffic (including buses) will move onto the southbound span of the bridge into the middle general traffic lane, using the crossover lane. Only one northbound lane will be open with buses using this lane alongside general traffic for a short time. The northbound bus and emergency services priority lane will remain closed.
• From around 3 pm, the northbound bus and emergency services priority lane will be opened on the eastern span of the bridge.

What does it mean for public transport?

• Not a lot for January. However, there are significant changes which will be in place from 2 February. The 2026 bus timetable is expected to be released soon.

SUMMERNATS

• Summernats is on from Thursday 8 January to Sunday 11 January.
• The Braddon Fringe Festival will be held from 3 pm until midnight on Thursday 8, Friday 9 and Saturday 10 January.

What does this mean for the road network?

• Flemington Road will be closed in both directions from the Federal Highway to Randwick Road (authorised event vehicles, light rail and emergency vehicles excepted) from 7 am until late each day.
  Stirling Avenue in Watson will be closed from the Federal Highway to Aspinall Street from 7 pm on Thursday 8 January until 7 pm on Sunday 11 January (local traffic excepted).
• The City Cruise will be held on Thursday 8 January from midday to 1 pm. There will be temporary rolling road closures on occasions between 11 am and 1.30 pm. This will apply to all traffic including motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. Federal Highway will be closed southbound from Antill Street to the Barton Highwa,y and Northbourne Avenue will be closed in both directions from Flemington Road to Bunda Street / Rudd Street.
• During the Braddon Fringe Festival hours, the following road closures will be in place (with local traffic excepted): Mort Street from Cooyong Street to Girrahween Street, Lonsdale Street from Cooyong Street to Girrahween Street, Elouera Street from Mort Street to Torrens Street, Torrens Street from Cooyong Street to Girrahween Street, Girrahween Street from Mort Street to Torrens Street.

What does it mean for public transport?

• EPIC Park and Ride will be closed for this period of Summernats.
• During the City Cruise, light rail services will not operate between Alinga Street and Sandford Street but will continue to operate between the Gungahlin Place Stop and Sandford Street Stop.

LYRIC THEATRE

• Significant work gets underway from Monday 5 January. This includes storm water, gas and electrical diversions at the junction of Knowles Place and Theatre Lane, demolition of the brick retaining wall in Theatre Lane, and site set up with permanent site accommodation (sheds) and removal of the temporary site accommodation. Ahead of the piling works commencing in January, scraping of the ground service will occur.
• Once the piling works commence, this is expected to take approximately three months.

What does this mean for the road network?

• Knowles Place will be closed from 5 January. Emergency pedestrian exit will remain available via North Building. Theatre Lane will be closed behind The Playhouse from 12 January. The Playhouse loading dock will be closed from 12 January, with all stage deliveries occurring from the theatre.

STAY UPDATED

More information will be published by Transport Canberra on their website at www.transport.act.gov.au when available.

There are many great platforms to check real-time traffic conditions before you get on the road, such as Waze Navigation and Live Traffic, Google Maps and Apple Maps. Whilst on the road, there are roadside travel time boards to help drivers choose their route.