The Sandy Beach option for the proposed South Dubbo Bridge has been ruled out, following an outpouring of criticism from the public.
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The results of the public exhibition on the proposed bridge were put to Dubbo Regional Council on Monday night. There were 195 online survey responses received by council, 56 individual submissions and another 12 from organisations, including one from council staff.
Based on feedback, the $35.6 million route from Whylandra Street at the Minore Road intersection in the west to Blight Street at the South Street and Sandy Beach Road intersections has been ruled out.
But not all councillors are in favour of the bridge.
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Councillors Greg Mohr and Dayne Gumley both voted against the bridge investigations continuing.
Cr Mohr is calling for the concept to be scrapped. He said all four options did not stack up.
"We need to move on from this South Bridge fiasco and push for the ring road. We shouldn't be distracted by crazy plans like this," he said.
Cr Mohr raised concerns about the increase in traffic the proposed bridge would create in south Dubbo.
However, mayor Stephen Lawrence hit back against the objections.
He said the proposed bridge - "a decade-long project" - was a really important piece of infrastructure and the traffic that crossed the bridge would not all be going into Tamworth Street.
Cr Lawrence said those campaigning against the bridge were not putting the public first.
Councillor Kevin Parker said the proposal had been on council's plans for a "long, long time" but Dubbo's growing traffic, and the need for another river crossing, had to be considered. Councillor Jane Diffey also spoke out in favour of the plans moving forward.
Despite the division among councillors, further investigations will be conducted into the sites, looking into the environmental factors, Aboriginal cultural heritage and traffic modelling.
The most expensive option remaining is expected to cost just over $41.4 million. The proposed route is from Whylandra Street at the Minore Road intersection in the west to Macquarie Street at the Bligh Street and Reakes Avenue intersection in the east
The second option would span Whylandra Street at the Minore Road intersection in the west to Macquarie Street at the Tamworth Street intersection in the east. It's expected to cost $39 million.
The expected $32 million option would span from Whylandra Street and the Dubbo Golf Club driveway in the west to Macquarie Street at the Tamworth Street intersection.
The report to council shows that if no bridge is constructed, it will cost $7.8 billion across 30 years.
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