$5M bridge upgrade complete after budget blowout

$600,000 of rate payers' money was used for the $5 million upgrade after it blew over budget.

Deep Creek Bridge is officially opened after upgrades by Alan McCallum, whose family originally donated the timber for the first bridge, Mayor Rachel Chambers and Member for Flynn Ken O'Dowd.

A MULTI-million-dollar bridge replacement in the North Burnett is complete and was officially opened on Wednesday.

Road users will have a safer journey across Deep Creek Bridge due to widening, upgrades to the approaches and a change of gradient.

While the upgrades are welcome, the road to the official opening was not smooth.

A total of $600,000 of rate payers' money was used for the $5 million upgrade after unforeseen issues blew the project over budget, North Burnett Mayor Rachel Chambers said in October.

Council officers had determined that the bridge could be completed for around $4.4 million.

They then applied for and received funding under the Federal Government's Bridges Renewal Program and a State Government grant, two sums of $2.2m dollars, which came up $600,000 short of the final construction cost.

Mayor Rachel Chambers said in October the council was "extremely disappointed" the bridge could not be fully funded solely through external sources.

"We have nevertheless contributed less than we initially anticipated (given that we would have had to have paid $2.2 million to match the federal funding if we weren't successful with the state funding)," she said.

"Overruns do not sit well with councillors and as such a full review of the project was undertaken by an external party and the recommendations from that review have formed the basis of improvements to our project management framework going forward."

Despite disappointment with cost, Cr Chambers said this week that North Burnett businesses and residents had benefited from the project's support requirements through purchases such as concrete, gravel, fuel, plant equipment usage and servicing, accommodation, food and labour.

"This project was truly a regional commitment thus ensuring monies spent stayed in local pockets wherever possible," Cr Chambers said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said under the Bridges Renewal Program, the Australian Government is funding crucial upgrades nationwide to support community access and freight productivity in the form of better and safer bridges.

Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey said the Queensland Government had provided a further $2.2 million through its Building our Regions program as the upgrade was a critical investment in better access to market.

"...for the local citrus and cattle producers, improved safety and increased flood immunity," Mr Bailey said.

Federal Member for Flynn Ken O'Dowd said the new two-lane concrete-deck bridge replaced the old single-lane crossing.

"The new bridge is designed to accommodate heavy vehicle loading, providing access to heavy vehicles, which in turn has resulted in an increase in transport productivity," Mr O'Dowd said.