Wingham’s new $40.7 million Cedar Party Creek Bridge has been officially opened during a ceremony on-site yesterday.
Federal and State Government representatives joined MidCoast Council’s Mayor, Claire Pontin, to officially cut the ribbon and complete a walk over of the impressive new structure.
Council’s Director of Infrastructure and Engineering Services, Rob Scott said the Cedar Party Creek Bridge was one of the largest projects he had been involved with in Council.
“This project has been a long time in the coming,” he said.
“There has been a bridge of various sorts at this location for 156 years.
“It has been in the pipeline for the better part of a decade and it is wonderful to finally be able to deliver the finished product for the Wingham community.
“The former bridge was no longer fit for purpose and we were left either spending millions to continue maintaining it or build a new one.
“In the end the replacement was the right choice for the community.”
Mayor Pontin said the Council was pleased to celebrate the completion of the project together with the State and Federal Government.
“Cedar Party Creek Bridge was the highest priority and risk amongst more than 155 timber bridges that Council has,” she said.
“Without significant support from the State and Federal Governments, replacement of this bridge was well above Council’s capacity over the next decade.”
The new bridge has been increased in height providing greater flood resilience rising it above the one-in-one-hundred-year flood event. The construction also provides traffic with a level transition to the intersection of Wynter and Combined Streets which has been improved with a roundabout to allow better flow.
The first bridge over Cedar Party Creek was constructed in 1869 and was 23.5 metres long by 4.2 metres wide. Following flooding a few years later in 1893, a new higher-level bridge was constructed in 1896.
Nearly 40 years later, in 1937, major repairs were required and the then Wingham Council lobbied for a concrete bridge with an estimated price tag of 15,000 pounds.
In 1993, a stress laminated timber deck was installed to incorporate new timber bridge technology extending the life of the bridge.
The bridge then remained unchanged until October last year when demolition works commenced.
“As the largest Fixing Country Bridges project by size and value, Cedar Party Creek Bridge is a landmark achievement for the program, which has assisted councils to replace more than 485 timber bridges across NSW with modern concrete structures,” said NSW Minister for Roads, and Minister for Regional Transport, Jenny Aitchison.
“This is another great example of how the NSW Government is delivering critical infrastructure upgrades in regional NSW.
“Projects like upgrading the Cedar Party Creek Bridge reduce maintenance costs for taxpayers and improves resilience during major flooding or other natural disasters. It’s a win-win.”
