Acting Prime Minister and Member for New England Barnaby Joyce has officially opened a new bridge at Bolivia Hill.
The 320-metre-long concrete balanced cantilever bridge fully opened to traffic a fortnight ago and is keeping motorists moving safely and efficiently along the New England Highway between Glen Innes and Tenterfield.
Mr Joyce, who is also the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, visited the site today to mark the completion of the $134 million project.
"This is a game-changing piece of infrastructure for our region and it is fantastic to see traffic flowing across the new bridge," Mr Joyce said.
"Around 1,500 vehicles, including 500 heavy vehicles, use this section of highway each day. It is a key route for so many businesses and locals, which is why providing a better and safer highway was so important.
"The original section of highway had a poor crash history, but this new route will better connect communities, improve safety and ensure the smooth flow of freight from local agricultural and mining businesses.
"Our Government is committed to delivering for the people of New England and the Bolivia Hill bridge is another example of our record $110 billion infrastructure investment plan in action."
The project delivered an economic boost to the region, supporting up to 200 jobs at the peak of construction, including employment for up to 50 locals.
The $134 million project was jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments, with the Federal Government providing $98 million and New South Wales Government contributing $36 million.
