A $10 million revamp of Dubbo’s almost 50-year-old L H Ford Bridge will include the construction of two new piers to support a “drop in span”, reports the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) .
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It reports that the new piers, on either side of the Macquarie River, will “stop further long-term movements in the waterway span” and allow the bridge to take higher mass limited vehicles.
The project, scheduled to begin late this month, is expected to be completed by the end of next year.
Traffic will be affected when the new piers are connected to the bridge deck and its barriers adjusted.
The tender for the work was advertised in June and awarded in September to Freyssinet Australia Pty Ltd.
State Member for Dubbo Troy Grant advises the work will begin in late October to “strengthen the main bridge” that connects West Dubbo to the rest of the city including its central business district.
He said the NSW government was funding the 14-month project to increase the life of the bridge, improve safety for road users and increase efficiency of the road network.
“The 613-metre-long reinforced concrete bridge was first opened to the public in 1969 and at that time was the fourth longest highway bridge in NSW,” he said.
“Work on the bridge will include building two new piers within the Macquarie River to better support the span over the river.”
The RMS also expects that the project will “reduce maintenance costs”.
“The bridge is nearly 50 years old and needs significant maintenance work in order to maintain the design life of this important bridge,” it says.
The $10 million outlay will also cover repairs to cracked concrete next to the bridge bearings.
Mr Grant said the community would be “notified of any impacts to traffic as work progresses”.
Strengthening of the LH Ford Bridge is one of five “road infrastructure improvement projects” in the planning for Dubbo.
The government has allocated $20 million to the Newell and Mitchell highways intersection in West Dubbo for improvements including the installation of traffic lights.
Design development and planning is under way for a third and new $140 million bridge set to cross the river “to connect to the Newell Highway near River Street in North Dubbo”.
The Newell Highway will acquire “heavy duty pavement” between Golf Links Road and Baird Street at a cost of $11 million.
About $14 million will be spent on widening and installing traffic lights at the Mitchell Highway and Fitzroy Street intersection.
