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Council Puts Priority on Timber Bridge Replacement
Last modified: June 24, 2009 - 11:36 AM
Upper Hunter Shire Council has nominated the timber bridge replacement program as one of its highest priorities in Council's draft Management Plan currently on exhibition. This is all part of Council's ongoing commitment to the replacement of timber bridges on local and regional roads within the Shire, a program based on extensive bridge assessment conducted by Council over the past four years.
Upper Hunter Shire Council's Mayor, Michael Johnsen, advised that both the current and future Management Plans will have a focus on roads and bridges. The bridge replacements are necessary to replace old timber bridges which have r eached the end of their economic life where maintenance costs are no longer viable. Timber bridges are a vital part of the road infrastructure network and bridge failures have a devastating impact on local communities. When they fail or are forced to be restricted by weight limits, they isolate local communities and impact on every day travel for medical treatment, school and freight haulage.
During the 2009/10 financial year $1.3 million has been allocated for the replacement of Barsham, Scotts Creek and Timor bridges along the Blandford and Timor/Crawney Road corridors and $260,000 for Witney's Creek Bridge in Merriwa. "Many of Council's timber bridges were built over eighty years ago and were not designed to handle modern local weights and volumes. The bridges to be replaced in 2009/10 have been identified as the highest priorities whilst the bridges that make up the future years program are selected on the basis of their strategic location within the road network, their condition and the improved value to the road network that replacing them will bring" Cr Johnsen said.
The timber bridge replacement program represents a significant investment by Council in preserving the road and ridge network for the benefit of all road users for many years to come.
Contact details
Upper Hunter Shire Council
Tel: 02 6540 1100
Fax: 02 6545 2671
council@upperhunter.nsw.gov.au
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