A temporary bridge designed to cater for vehicles up to 15 tonnes is expected to open at Charles Street in Rydal, NSW, in June.
The new structure is likely to be in place until the end of 2024 as local business Central Industries sets about demolishing an existing 70-year-old wooden bridge and replacing it with a new concrete structure.
The bridge replacement is one of nearly 500 bridge upgrades funded by NSW government’s Fixing Country Bridges program and was allocated $616,356 in funding.
Lithgow City Council mayor Maree Statham said the work was good news for residents and visitors alike.
“The replacement of outdated wooden bridges will dramatically improve the driving experience of the residents who live in our villages and open up new opportunities for visitors using our roads to explore the Seven Valleys region,” Statham said.
Replacing old wooden bridges with concrete alternatives will reduce Council’s spending on maintenance and provide better access for services such as garbage and fire trucks.
Lithgow City Council has already replaced three timber bridges with dual-lane concrete bridges along Glen Davis Road over the past two years at Airly, Coco and Crown Creeks.
The new concrete bridge at Charles St is expected to open by the end of this year.
Rydal is about 15 minutes’ drive from Lithgow, and 45 minutes east of Bathurst, on the Old Western Road, near the Great Western Highway.