Replacement of The Falls Bridge, Elands will take place from February to early June 2023.
For most of the construction period, traffic will need to detour via Padmans Road, Cooks Road, and Beech Road. The crossing will be completely closed from 6 February and will reopen in May, weather permitting. Partial road closures with single-lane traffic may apply at other times during construction.
"This single-lane timber bridge will be replaced by a double-lane concrete one, making the crossing safer and more reliable in wet weather conditions," said Director Infrastructure and Engineering Services, Rob Scott.
"The existing bridge is currently subject to an 18-tonne load limit. The new bridge will be able to support the normal range of vehicles."
The detour will add approximately 15 minutes to a typical journey. Access to Ellenborough from the south through the village of Elands on Glenwarrin Road will not be affected by the work.
This work is part of an ongoing focus to address ageing timber bridges across the MidCoast.
"Because of their age and condition, timber bridges are costly to maintain. Replacing them with modernised concrete structures not only reduces our ongoing maintenance costs, but contributes to a better transport network for our community. It also helps our communities to be more resilient," said Mr Scott.
Construction will take approximately four months, weather permitting.
"While the new bridge is good news for the community, we appreciate there will be inconvenience. Constructing a temporary side track at this location isn't practical. This is why we will be using a detour. We have been working to mitigate the impacts of the detour as much as we can. We thank you for your patience while we undertake this important replacement."
You can view a list of frequently asked questions here https://haveyoursay.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/falls-bridge.
The new bridge is funded through the NSW State Government's Fixing Country Bridges Program.
