Roads: Fixing Country Bridges

ROADS

FIXING COUNTRY BRIDGES

Council has received funding for the demolition and replacement of a total of 31 timber bridges with the construction of stronger, safer and more durable concrete bridges as part of the Fixing Country Bridges Program administered by Transport for NSW.

Timber bridges are expensive to maintain, vulnerable in disasters and subject to load limits when they age. It is for these reasons that council has sought funding to address issues affecting this type of infrastructure. Tenders for 16 of the 31 bridge projects have been endorsed by Clarence Valley Council this year that total $19.35m and include: • Five (5) replacement bridges at Winters Bridge (Jackadgery), Barretts Creek Bridge (Coaldale), Dundoo Floodway

Bridge (Kungala), Billys Creek Bridge (Dundurrabin) and Wintervale Creek Bridge (Dalmorton) - two Design and

Construct contract packages. • Seven (7) replacement bridges at Bostock Road Bridge (Tucabia), Bridge No.3 Marengo Road (Hernani), Fifteen

Mile Swamp (Coutts Crossing) and Mitchell Road Bridge No.1, No.2 and No.3 (Pillar Valley) – Construct-Only contract package. • Four (4) replacement bridges at Coutts No 1 bridge, Coutts No 2 Bridge, Koukandowie Creek Bridge and Skinners

Swamp Bridge (all located on Armidale Road) – Design and Construct contract package. Council now has until 30 April 2023 to start construction on each of its 31 bridges under the first round of the program and 30 April 2024 to open the bridges to traffic. To date, eleven bridges have been completed and opened to traffic with a further ten bridges currently under construction. Following these works there are 92 timber bridges that still require replacement in the Clarence Valley area after funding for Bluff Bridge was allocated under stage 2a of the Transport for NSW Fixing Country Bridges program. Council has applied for funding for a further 75 timber bridges to be replaced as part of stage two of the Fixing Country Bridges program which is still to be confirmed.