RESIDENTS REJOICE AT OPENING OF NEW MACKIE BRIDGE

Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg and Member for Page Kevin Hogan today opened the new Mackie Bridge at Rosebank after the existing causeway was destroyed during a storm in December 2020.

Mayor Krieg said the Federal Government funded work was an example of Lismore building back better.

“This is great news for our community. Our specialist bridge crew built the new bridge over Johnston Creek, rather than simply replacing the causeway that was severely impacted last February,” he said.

“This greatly improves the resilience of the bridge to future fooding and reduces the likelihood of members of our community becoming isolated. It also ensures our farmers can get their produce to markets and improves the connectivity across our whole Local Government Area.”

Council’s specialist Bridge Crew replaced the damaged causeway with a new 13.7m x 4.8m single span concrete structure. This new structure founded on concrete bored piles has been designed and constructed to achieve a 100-year design life while improving its food immunity and safety for local farmers and truck drivers.

Federal Member for Page, Kevin Hogan, congratulated Lismore City Council staff for their design and construction work on the project, adding that it will provide a far superior all-weather crossing well into the future.

“Mackie Road is an important link for local traffc between Clunes, Rosebank and surrounding areas,” he said.

“I was pleased to be able to assist Council with Federal Government funding for this and other important disaster recovery projects. The new Mackie Road bridge defnitely truly fts the bill of ‘building back better’, as Mayor Krieg has noted.”

Local resident Elizabeth BradfeldGreet wrote to Council before today’s offcial bridge opening.

“A very big THANK YOU for the magnifcent rectifcation & rebuilding works done on Mackie Rd causeway & road edges. We, the residents, are so very very grateful, & now feel 500% safer as we travel along that road leading to our homes.

The new heightened causeway will be a godsend in the future heavy rains - the old causeway cut us off after minimal rain,” she wrote.

“Please pass our thanks along to all involved.”

The $894,400 project was funded under the Federal Government’s Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.