Apex Park Road, Kervins Road bridge tenders awarded

Published on 02 April 2024

Two of Gannawarra Shire Council’s timber bridges will be replaced after Council awarded the tender for the design and construction the Apex Park Road and Kervins Road bridges to Murray Constructions Pty Ltd.

Supported by $760,000 from the Federal Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, Council will contribute $363,000 from its capital works budget to ensure the project proceeds.

“Council is responsible for managing 68 bridges, many of which are nearing the end of their usage cycle,” Mayor Ross Stanton said.

“To accommodate larger heavy vehicle loads, Council is required to replace these aging timber structures with new concrete bridges, which will benefit motorists for the next 100 years.”

The project will involve installing a new concrete structure over Washpen Creek near Reedy Lake to enable access to the popular Apex Park facilities and campsite, which have not been accessible after the original bridge collapsed in July 2023.

The Kervins Road bridge, located east of Cohuna, will also be replaced with a new concrete structure after inspections found the current structure was suffering from defects.

A 30-tonne load limit is currently in place until a new structure is constructed, with motorists whose loads are larger than 30 tonnes requested to use Cohuna-McMillans Road, Western Road and Murray Valley Highway to access either side of Kervins Road.

“Issues with the bridge were identified during a recent routine inspection, whilst a detailed investigation found defects with some of the structural components of the bridge,” Mayor Stanton said.

“Council thanks motorists for the understanding and looks forward to seeing these new bridges constructed.”

Council will keep residents updated regarding these projects via its website, Facebook page, Gannawarra News and Gannawarra Connect.

ABOVE: The Apex Park Road bridge collapsed into Washpen Creek in July 2023.