First works to begin towards $10.6M upgrade to Eunony Bridge
Published: 19 Sep 2019 1:51pm
The first works towards the $10.6M strengthening and widening Eunony Bridge will start next week with changed traffic conditions in the area expected to cause some delays.
Motorists are advised the bridge will be reduced to one lane of traffic with lower speed limits on the approaches and the bridge also in place under the direction of traffic controllers.
Wagga Wagga City Council Director Commercial Operations Caroline Angel said motorists and transport operators accessing the Bomen and North Wagga areas via Eunony Bridge should plan for the delays or consider alternative routes where appropriate.
The changed traffic conditions will be in place 24/7 from Tuesday 24 September for 10 days until 4 October.
Speed limits will be reduced to 40km/h on the approaches and 20km/h on the bridge crossing.
Engineers will be carrying out strength testing and also utilising a mobile driller which will extract soil samples from the riverbed to assist with the final design of the upgraded bridge deck.
“This is the start of works on a major project to strengthen and widen Eunony Bridge to allow Higher Mass Limit (HML) vehicles to cross the Murrumbidgee River via Eunony Bridge Road,” Ms Angel said.
“The upgraded bridge is a key piece of infrastructure for the Wagga Wagga High Productivity Freight Route, which will provide better access from the Sturt Highway to the Bomen Industrial Park and connections to the Olympic Highway.
“Now that we’re starting this initial work, there will be ongoing changed conditions at the site until the project is fully completed which is expected to happen by the end July 2020
“This project supports infrastructure, such as the Eunony Bridge Road Deviation project and the Bomen Enabling Roads project, to cater for HML vehicles.”
Eunony Bridge currently carries more than 4,400 vehicles per day, with a 17 per cent concentration of heavy vehicles.
About 150 Visy trucks utilise this route each day and cross Eunony Bridge to reach the current Rail Siding at Harefield. With the creation of the new RiFL hub, this number is set to more than double in the short term.
Council has received $9.8M in Federal and State government funding towards the project.