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Council News CITY OF WAGGA WAGGA
FIRST PRINTED SATURDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2020
Issue No: 283
Weekly information from us to you
Crane towers over bridge upgrade site An 80-metre tall crane now towers above Eunony Bridge as preparation works on the $10.6M upgrade of the structure progress despite a setback early this week.
TALL TIMBER: Wagga City Council Construction Supervisor Matthew Casley, who stands at 195cm (6’5”), is dwarfed by the crane which now towers over the Eunony Bridge precinct in preparation for its introduction to the construction project.
The crane will be critical to the removal of five sections of the bridge, which will be replaced with stronger and wider top deck in coming months. The boom extends 80 metres and the width of the crane stretches across both lanes of the road. The theft of specialised equipment from the construction site early this week has forced Wagga Wagga City Council to restrict access to the Murrumbidgee River either side of the bridge. Access to the river reserves from the western and eastern approaches along Eunony Bridge Road will now be fenced off on either side of the bridge and the road closed from closer to the Sturt Highway. Council’s Director Commercial Operations Caroline Angel said equipment being used in the bridge project was stolen earlier this week and has resulted in delays to the works. “It’s disappointing and frustrating from so many perspectives,” Ms Angel said.
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“The work is now being held up, less than a week into the full closure of the bridge. “Security will be tightened at the work site and access restricted in those areas around the bridge. “The equipment that was stolen was quite large and required a vehicle and effort to move. “As a direct consequence of this theft, costs incurred by additional security measures and the equipment replacement will all roll into the project. They’re additional costs that are unnecessary and they impact on the project.” Ms Angel said the contractor was working quickly to get replacement equipment so work could resume. “We will be back in action again soon,” Ms Angel said. “It is frustrating for everybody to have to stop work when we had made such a good start to this important project.” Eunony Bridge will be closed until 1 August 2020, weather permitting.