Council to upgrade some of our most dangerous bridges

THE Gympie Regional council has announced further plans to upgrade three more bridges in the Gympie region that residents have identified as unsafe.

Lynette Tompkins was forced to swerve off the Greens Creek bridge when an approaching car took up both lanes. . Picture: Contributed

THE Gympie Regional council has announced further plans to upgrade three more bridges in the Gympie region that residents have identified as unsafe.

Bridges on Randwick Rd, East Deep Creek and Carlson Rd, Coles Creek are scheduled for rehabilitation in the next four years, a council spokeswoman told The Gympie Times yesterday.

A concrete floodway on Harvey Siding Rd will also be replaced next year and has been flagged for maintenance in the meantime, she said.

The plan follows Friday's news to replace Greens Creek Bridge by 2019, after a woman was forced to swerve off the bridge to avoid an oncoming vehicle last Monday.

Read more: Council to replace 'dangerous' Greens Creek bridge

The Gympie Times asked readers on Facebook which bridges they considered dangerous.

In total, the responses highlighted 15 bridges in the region that Gympie region drivers deemed unsafe.

Stacey Jones said the bridge on Randwick Rd was falling apart - "Who knows if it will last another flood," she added.

"Eel Creek Bridge" was described as "awfully narrow", while the one-lane Number One Crossing at Imbil heading to

Borumba Dam was mentioned as dangerous because "No one gives way especially out of towners lots of accidents and near misses."

The majority of the bridges named by Gympie region residents are State Government controlled, the council spokeswoman said.

These included Pengelly's Bridge, Kidd Bridge, Rickety Bridge at The Dawn, Running Creek Bridge, Eel Creek Rd Bridge and bridges on Glastonbury Rd near Diggins Rd, Mary Valley Rd and Kenilworth-Brooloo Rd and Glastonbury Rd.

There are no plans for capital works at the bridge on Baloughs Rd.