Rossbridge gets the upgrade it deserves

Ararat Rural City Council CEO Allan Bawden joined Minister for Agriculture and Regional Development Jaala Pulford and representatives from VicRoads who visited Rossbridge to officially announce the completion on the Labor Government’s $3.4 million bridge over the Hopkins River in a win for local residents, farmers and freight carriers who rely on the bridge.

The upgrade will boost safety for locals and increase freight capacity for the region, with the new bridge better equipped to handle the traffic and heavy vehicle volumes that rely on this road every day.

Works to widen the approaches to the bridge started in July and the Mortlake-Ararat Road has been closed since September while the new bridge was constructed.

“The new bridge will make life easier for the hundreds of drivers that rely on it every day, providing a safer, stronger structure that I’m sure will come as a relief to farming communities in and around Rossbridge,” Minister for Agriculture and Regional Development Jaala Pulford said.

“This bridge will provide an important connection for heavy vehicles travelling between nearby farms and town centres.”

The new bridge replaces two bridges built more than 60 years ago.

Over time, the condition of the twin bridges had deteriorated leading to load restrictions and a reduced 40km/h speed limit being put in place.

The new bridge will allow VicRoads to raise the speed over the bridge to 100km/h.