Council Secures $16 Million to Fix Bellingen Shire Bridges

More than $16 million of State Government Fixing Country Bridges Program funds have been secured to maintain, repair and rehabilitate our Shire’s ageing timber bridge network, which is the fourth largest timber bridge network in the state by length.

Bellingen Shire Council Mayor, Cr Dominic King, said Council engineers had conducted detailed field assessments of Council’s 85 timbers bridge assets, which had informed the development of our Shire’s Timber Bridge Maintenance, Repair and Rehabilitation (MR&R) Program.

“Addressing the challenges our timber bridge network presents us has been an ongoing priority for Council, and our Timber Bridge MR&R program data thankfully provided us with the supporting information necessary to lodge a robust and successful funding submission.”

Cr King said the injection of a further $16,194,551.50 in funds would allow Council to continue investing in our Shire’s Timber Bridge MR&R Program, which features an investment program of $29 million during the next 11 years.

“This is Council’s most significant infrastructure investment to date, and these funds will contribute towards the repair and replacement of key bridges in our Shire which have impacted our ability to provide essential access for our community and the local agricultural, service and industrial sectors.”

“Ultimately this is a great result for our community and Council officers will continue to pursue every possible opportunity to secure State and Federal funding, because every dollar we get helps us to improve the safety of our Shire’s ageing timber bridge network.”

To view the list of bridges within our Shire that have received Fixing Country Bridges Program funding, simply click here or visit the project page on Council’s online engagement portal Create, at www.create.bellingen.nsw.gov.au .