Delays Expected in National Triangle Due to Enlighten Festival and Bridge Works

Enlighten Festival and Bridge Works to Cause National Triangle Delays

Today, Saturday, 7 March 2026, motorists and public transport users in Canberra should prepare for significant travel impacts, particularly within the National Triangle and the City. With the Enlighten Festival in full swing and major infrastructure projects like the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge renewal underway, planning ahead is essential for a smooth journey across the capital this weekend.

Enlighten Festival Closures

The Enlighten Festival continues tonight, bringing nightly road closures to the National Triangle from 4:00 pm until midnight. Drivers should avoid the following areas or follow the signposted detours:

• King George Terrace and King Edward Terrace between Parkes Place East and Parkes Place West.
• Queen Elizabeth Terrace and the National Library of Australia internal loop road.
• Parkes Place West (closed north of King Edward Terrace).

To alleviate parking pressure, free Enlighten shuttle buses will operate from the City to the festival precinct starting at 5:00 pm. Commuters are encouraged to utilize these services to avoid the search for limited parking near the lake.

Commonwealth Avenue Bridge Restrictions

The ongoing Commonwealth Avenue Bridge renewal project continues to be a major point of congestion. Currently, the following arrangements are in place:

• Northbound traffic is reduced to a single lane and diverted onto the southbound span of the bridge.
• A priority lane remains open for buses and emergency services, but general motorists should expect significant bottlenecks, especially during peak festival arrival times.
• The Flynn Drive on-ramp to Commonwealth Avenue remains closed to general traffic.

Light Rail and City Works

Construction for Light Rail Stage 2A is heavily impacting the city centre. Northbourne Avenue is fully closed in both directions between Vernon Circle and Cooyong Street to facilitate track installation and intersection upgrades near Alinga Street. Localised access is managed under traffic control, but through-traffic is strongly encouraged to use parallel arteries like Marcus Clarke Street or Constitution Avenue to bypass the CBD core.

Major Arteries and Regional Roadworks

Beyond the city centre, several major corridors are affected by ongoing infrastructure upgrades:

• Monaro Highway: Construction continues on the Lanyon Drive flyover. While the new bridge structures at Hume are progressing, speed reductions and narrowed lanes remain in effect.
• Barton Highway: Maintenance crews are beginning the installation of new road guide signs between Gundaroo Drive and the ACT border, which may cause minor intermittent delays.
• Canberra Avenue: Resurfacing works near the Fyshwick and Queanbeyan border will result in lane closures throughout the day.

Public Transport Advice

Commuters are reminded that Transport Canberra is operating under the revised 2026 bus network. Due to the bridge and light rail works, many routes have been permanently diverted or updated. If you are heading to the ACT Brumbies game at GIO Stadium today, dedicated shuttle buses and Park and Ride options are available to help you avoid the heavy traffic expected in the city center.