A MAJOR thoroughfare bridge over the Pyramid Creek will be replaced next year following the allocation of Federal Government money.
The allocation of $471,350 to replace Sampsons Bridge under round three of the Bridges Renewal Program will be supplemented with additional funding from Gannawarra Shire Council.
Federal Member for Mallee, Andrew Broad, who announced the Federal Government funding, inspected the Kerang-Leitchville Road bridge with shire infrastructure services director, Geoff Rollinson.
Small sections underneath the 50-year-old concrete span bridge are failing and an 80 kilometre-per-hour speed limit applies.
Mr Broad said that more than $1.2 million will be spent on bridge projects across the electorate of Mallee.
“The council will receive $471,350 to deliver a safe bridge for the entire community,” he said.
Mr Broad said he had worked closely with councils and the community throughout the electorate to identify key locations for improvement.
It was one of seven bridge projects approved across the Mallee electorate.
“These projects aren’t only building bridges, they’re building the way we transport our produce grown here in the Mallee right across Australia, and they are vital to our horticultural industry, our livestock industry, wine and table grapes and so much more,” he said.
“These upgrades and replacements will also increase safety on our roads and dramatically improve driving conditions for residents and local truck drivers.”
Mr Rollinson said that the new two-lane structure will have a higher road capacity.
“With the [current] bridge carrying additional heavy loads, mainly generated from the dairy industry and development of new agriculture in the area, the current bridge is sustaining damage and, despite remedial work, will continue to do so in the future,” he said.
Mr Rollinson said that Sampsons Bridge was on an important transport route for the area and wider region, providing a vital intrastate and interstate transport link.
The agricultural industry is the largest employer in the shire and it generates $225 million annually.
An average of 148 trucks per day pass over the bridge.
