New Dubbo Bridge: Major project one step closure to completion despite cost blowout

A “once-in-a-generation” infrastructure project in the state’s central west has drained an additional $43 million out of taxpayer’s pockets due to “increased and unforeseen construction costs”.

A “once-in-a-generation” major infrastructure project is one step closer to completion in the state’s central west after an additional injection of $43 million into the New Dubbo Bridge.

The NSW Government confirmed additional funding for the New Dubbo Bridge, which is the biggest infrastructure project in the state’s west, as one third of the concrete deck is completed.

The Australian and NSW governments are investing $263.2 million to deliver the “region-shaping piece of infrastructure”, with the federal government committing $210.6 million towards the project and the NSW Government $52.6 million.

The cost of the project has increased by $43 million, as the federal government initially provided $176.2 million for the bridge and the state government funded $44 million.

A Transport for NSW spokesman said the additional funding was to cover “increased and unforeseen” construction costs during the piling for the build.

An artist’s impression of the New Dubbo Bridge.

“The original build design included 89 steel tubular piles to support the bridge, each to be installed to an average depth of 40 metres into the ground,” the spokesman said.

“However, during test piling it became evident that poor ground conditions on-site were insufficient to support the bridge as designed.

“As a result, the piles had to be driven much deeper into the earth and into stronger ground conditions to ensure proper support.”

The bridge is expected to be completed by late 2026.

The spokesman said the piles were required to be about 50 per cent longer than originally planned, extending each pile by about 20m.

The decking along the 660-metre bridge is to be built in sections, with each section involving the pouring of about 105 cubic metres of concrete to provide a deck slab of up to 25cm in depth.

Piling driving was recently completed along the length of the new structure which crosses the Macquarie River and a section of the flood plain along the east side of the river.

The deck pours will be carried out progressively, with the final deck pour expected in mid-2025.

Construction is also underway for the network roads which will link the bridge to the town’s network, including road widening work at the intersections of Whylandra and Thompson streets and River and Bourke streets.

The Nationals leader and Dubbo member Dugald Saunders agreed the extra funding was because of the building costs and it had been included in the budget.

“Now the community is aware that it costs more than what we thought it would cost,” Mr Saunders said.

The bridge is expected to improv the way locals, tourists and freight operators travel through Dubbo, particularly during flood events.

The New Dubbo Bridge is due to be completed in late 2026.