Gunnedah’s Cohens Bridge is about to get a $10.6 million upgrade, which will include important maintenance work which will improve the safety of one of NSW’s oldest metal road bridges.
Work on a two-year project will start next week to rehabilitate Cohens Bridge on Chandos Street at Gunnedah.
Built in 1884, the bridge serves as a critical link over the Namoi River at Gunnedah and is one of NSW’s oldest bridges.
Labor’s spokesperson for Tamworth Anthony D’Adam MLC said the rehabilitation project would provide a safer and longer lasting bridge while also protecting the bridge’s significant heritage value.
“This maintenance work will help the bridge to continue as a vital link in keeping the community connected and motorists and freight operators moving around the state’s north west,” Mr D’Adam said.
“The project involves concrete repairs to the approach spans, repairing and replacing metal elements of the bridge, installing a new bridge deck, installing a new steel traffic barrier in the truss spans and painting of all steel elements.
“Some vegetation clearing will also be carried out to allow the crew to access underneath the bridge, and a site compound will be set up next to the bridge.”
Work on the 173-metre long 12-span bridge will start from Monday 26 August.
A temporary 14-week full bridge closure will be required to allow installation of the new bridge deck, which can’t be completed while the bridge is open to traffic.
The closure is planned for early January 2025, weather permitting, following the Christmas and New Year period. The bridge will remain closed during the Easter holiday period.
During the closure, motorists will be detoured via O’Keefe Avenue, Old Blue Vale Road, Blue Vale Road, Kamilaroi Highway and Chandos Street, which is expected to add around 14 minutes to journeys.
The detour will be in place for all motorists as there will be no safe access across the bridge while the deck is being replaced.
Transport for NSW is asking the community to let them know if there are any comments or concerns about timing for the closure by emailing reece.kennedy@transport.nsw.gov.au by COB Friday 30 August 2024.
Transport will update the community about timing for the bridge closure once confirmed.
Work on the bridge is being carried out from 7am to 6pm weekdays and 8am to 1pm Saturdays.
Heavy vehicles will be detoured via O’Keefe Avenue, Old Blue Vale Road, Blue Vale Road, Kamilaroi Highway and Chandos Street for the duration of the project due to the narrow width of the bridge.
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