Lane Closures on Commonwealth Avenue and Festival Diversions to Impact Friday Commute

Commute Overview for Friday, 20 March 2026

Canberra commuters should prepare for a complex Friday on the roads as several major infrastructure projects reach critical phases and local events trigger bus diversions. Significant lane reductions remain in place across the central corridor, particularly impacting those traveling between the City and South Canberra via Commonwealth Avenue. Additionally, off-peak resurfacing and evening festival preparations will likely create bottlenecks during the afternoon peak.

Major Arteries: Commonwealth Avenue and Parkes Way

The Commonwealth Avenue Bridge renewal project continues to be the primary cause of delays for north-south traffic. The northbound side of the bridge remains closed, with all traffic diverted onto the southbound side. General traffic is merged into a single lane near Albert Hall before crossing over. For those using the Parkes Way corridor, the westbound off-ramp onto Commonwealth Avenue is scheduled to reopen at 4:00 am Friday morning following overnight works, but expect heavy congestion as crews transition to new lane configurations.

• Commonwealth Avenue Northbound: Reduced to one lane between Albert Street (West) and Parkes Way starting at 8:00 pm Friday for the duration of the weekend.
• Barrine Drive: Reduced to one lane beneath the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge between 7:00 am and 6:00 pm with stop-and-go arrangements in place.
• Kings Avenue Bridge: Strongly recommended as an alternative route for all cross-lake travel to avoid the Commonwealth Avenue bottleneck.

City Centre and Public Transport Alerts

Light Rail Stage 2A construction is ramping up around London Circuit. Motorists are reminded that the western side of London Circuit is closed, and Northbourne Avenue is reduced to two lanes each way between Alinga Street and Vernon Circle. In the heart of the city, Bunda Street remains closed between Genge Street and Scotts Crossing for ongoing upgrades.

Public transport users should be aware of diversions starting today for the Canberra Craft Beer and Cider Festival. Several bus routes will be rerouted around the festival precinct starting Friday afternoon. Additionally, Tuggeranong residents should note that bus stop 1279 remains closed for maintenance through the end of the month.

Regional Roadworks and Maintenance

Transport Canberra and City Services have scheduled several maintenance projects that will affect suburban flow today:

• Pearce: Besant Street is closed from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm for asphalt resurfacing.
• Dickson: Antill Street will experience lane closures between Phillip Avenue and Cowper Street during the off-peak window of 9:30 am to 2:30 pm.
• Yarralumla: Novar Street and Alexandrina Drive will have partial closures and lane reductions between 9:30 am and 4:00 pm.
• Whitlam: Heavy machinery will be active at the intersection of William Hovell Drive and Coulter Drive for night works starting at 8:00 pm.

Drivers are urged to follow all posted signage and allow at least an extra 15 to 20 minutes for cross-town trips this afternoon.