Federal funding a huge boost for heavy vehicle access

Federal funding a huge boost for heavy vehicle access - 18 January 2016

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Wagga Wagga City Council has welcomed an announcement by the Federal Government for $4.9M in funding to go towards an upgrade of Eunony Bridge.

The $9.8M upgrade will allow higher mass limit vehicles to cross the Murrumbidgee River at Eunony Bridge Road.

Wagga Wagga City Council has made an application to the NSW State Government’s ‘Fixing Country Roads’ program for the remaining $4.9M cost of the Eunony Bridge upgrade project.

The Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga, Councillor Rod Kendall, says the upgrade is a crucial step in providing better heavy vehicle access from the Sturt Highway to the Bomen Industrial Park.

“It’s fantastic to see that the Member for the Riverina and the Federal Government share our vision for Wagga Wagga as a hub for freight in regional Australia,” Cr Kendall said.

“Higher mass limit vehicles currently have to take the much longer route via Edward Street and the Olympic Highway, and once completed this new link will save freight companies time and money, which means they are more likely to invest in the region.”

Background

The process towards upgrading the link between the Sturt Highway and the Bomen Industrial Park began in November 2014 with the commencement of the Eunony Bridge Road Deviation Project, which was jointly funded by Wagga Wagga City Council and the NSW State Government.

Council will also match a $1.27M dollar grant that it recently received from the Heavy Vehicles Safety and Productivity Program to upgrade existing sections of Byrnes Road and Eunony Bridge Road.