Photo caption: Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall, left, and Walcha Mayor Eric Noakes at the soon-to-be-replaced Boxley Bridge, over Pipeclay Gully, on Niangala Road.
Thursday, 19 January 2023
A GRANT of $979,000 has been provided to Walcha Council by the State Government to replace another of its dwindling number of ageing timber bridges, Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall announced today.
Mr Marshall and Mayor Eric Noakes recently drove out on Niangala Road to inspect the half-a-century-old Boxley Bridge, over Pipeclay Gully, which will soon be replaced with a wider, stronger and modern concrete structure, thanks to the latest round of the Fixing Country Bridges program.
“Boxley Bridge has served the region and the surrounding primary producers very well for more than 50 years, but the timber structure is fast approaching the end of its useful life,” Mr Marshall said.
“Without major intervention or replacement, council would have likely been forced to impose strict load limits on the structure as it continued to deteriorate – now that won’t be necessary.
“Council will use these funds to cover the total cost of replacing the timber structure with a new 4.2-metre-wide and 20-metre-long concrete bridge on the existing road alignment and at the same height.
“This is great news for all Niangala Road users who will soon have a much safer and more sturdy bridge to drive over.
“Replacing the ageing timber with new concrete will also dramatically ease the financial burden on Walcha Council and ensure the continued free flow of agricultural produce to market.”
Mayor Eric Noakes welcomed the funding for the new Boxley Bridge.
“We’re thrilled to be able to remove yet another one of our district’s old timber bridges,” Cr Noakes said.
“Without this funding support from the State Government, a project like this would be beyond our council’s immediate financial capacity.
“We’re making inroads into our program to replace ageing timber bridges with new concrete structures – and we don’t have too many left now – which is good news for the community.”