Work to replace the heavily damaged Weir Road Bridge at Barnsley will get underway in August.
The bridge has been closed since major storms hit the region in March, and will remain closed for another 12 months while the work is carried out.
Robson Civil Projects has been contracted to build the multi-million dollar replacement, featuring a wider dual lane bridge and a 3-metre wide shared pathway for cyclists and pedestrians.
The road on either side of the bridge will also be realigned.
Lake Macquarie Council’s Asset Manager Helen Plummer says rehabilitating the existing crossing is impractical due to the costs and length of time it would take to repair the structure to a safe standard, meaning the bridge will remain permanently closed until the works are completed next year.
“The latest engineer assessments of the weir indicate it is unsafe for continued use by the community,” said Ms Plummer.
“Investigations show there are a range of structural issues, such as scour, undermining and damaged asphalt, that would put the public at risk if we were to re-open access.
We appreciate the community’s understanding regarding this decision and apologise for the inconvenience of the closure.”
The project has been partially funded by the federal government, which has committed $4.7 million to the new bridge’s construction.
The new crossing is expected to open by mid-2022.
