Wingecarribee Shire Council is set to replace ageing bridges at both Wildes Meadow and Mittagong as part of a multi-million grant secured from the NSW State Government.
Works will be undertaken simultaneously on the replacement of the Burrawang Creek Bridge on Belmore Falls Road in Wildes Meadow and the Diamond Fields Creek Bridge in Mittagong from early August 2022.
Wingecarribee Shire General Manager Lisa Miscamble welcomed the commencement of construction.
"Bridges are a critical component of our local transport infrastructure and help to connect people between towns and villages," she said. "This is fantastic news for both residents living near the bridges and those further afield."
The General Manager said the new bridges would require less maintenance than the previous timber structures.
"These new bridges have the benefit of being constructed from concrete and steel which provides greater resilience and safety especially during flood and bushfire events."
The Wildes Meadows and Mittagong bridges are the first of four bridges to be replaced under the State Governments Fixing Country Bridges Program from which Council secured $3.5 million in grant funding.
Ms Miscamble said Council had progressively upgraded its most vulnerable bridges and the renewal of these two latest bridges represented the replacement of some of the Shire's last timber vehicular bridges.
"Council thanks both the State Members for Goulburn and Wollondilly, Wendy Tuckerman and Nathaniel Smith for their support of these important infrastructure upgrade projects and helping to secure vital State funding."
Work on the Diamonds Field Creek Bridge will start on Wednesday 3 August while work on the Burrawang Creek Bridge will commence from Friday 5 August 2022.
Construction activities at both sites will involve removing and replacing the existing timber bridges with new concrete structures and improving the immediate road approaches. Both replacement works will be undertaken by Council contractor Bridge and Civil Pty Ltd.
During the works Belmore Falls Road will be temporarily closed at the Burrawang Creek Bridge site however a side track is available at the Diamond Fields Bridge location providing access around the construction site.
Residents and motorists are asked to follow the changed traffic conditions and exercise care when travelling through the work zones.
Council apologises for any inconvenience associated with the upgrade works.
Weather permitting the upgrade works at both sites are expected to be complete in October 2022.
