Rawdon Island Bridge: Council CEO to sound out defence force for urgent bridge fix
Port Macquarie Hastings Council will call on federal and state government assistance to help engineer a way forward for the Rawdon Island Bridge dilemma.
Mid-North Coast
Don't miss out on the headlines from Mid-North Coast. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Port Macquarie Council will reach out to its state and federal counterparts to engineer an urgent solution to the current Rawdon Island Bridge closure.
The bridge has been closed nearly a month, after council crews located significant damage to the concrete plinths as part of a post-flood underwater bridge inspection.
Since July 5, no private cars have been able to travel across the structure - limiting access for the more than 50 household residents that live on the island.
The issue sparked urgent debate at Port Macquarie Council last week, with a resolution passed to “urgently contact Local State Members of Parliament.”
Council CEO Clare Allen will seek assistance through the Australian Defence Force (ADF) for advice and assistance as regards to potential repairs to the deck support, to enable weight-limited usage of the bridge while longer term solutions are implemented.
The motion passed will see the council “take all reasonable steps to urgently facilitate safe and workable access solutions for the community and impacted individuals.”
“Including [the provision of] adequate shuttle or similar service, lighting improvements especially on the island side, shelter on the bridge and at parking/waiting areas, trolleys for moving goods across the bridge, stockyards on the island side, secure parking, mail services, etc,” the council report stated.
The council will also provide clarity to the community with regards to the outcome of monitoring of bridge movements and the implications for bridge weightbearing, and ensure all councillors are invited to council-run community meetings on this matter.
A Bridge Management Policy, to formalise the management requirements outlined in the council’s Bridge Management System, will also be created and reported back to the December Ordinary Council Meeting.
EARLIER
Buckling bridge status marked ‘urgent’
July 21, 2021
Port Macquarie Hastings-Council will move to allocate funding for “urgent” work on the Rawdon Island Bridge this financial year, given the poor state of the structure and the impact of its closure on local residents.
In 2016 the Rawdon Island Bridge – which was closed earlier this month – was a relatively insignificant problem for council sitting at 16th in order of priority for the repair and maintenance of concrete bridges across the LGA.
But that number has now moved to two, after the council conducted a post-flood inspection below the water surface and noticed the damaged state of the concrete pylons.
It has forced the council to investigate funding options in this year’s budget to put towards maintenance of the structure – which is currently to dangerous to drive over.
A report to be tabled at Port Macquarie-Hastings Council meeting on Wednesday will recommend that councillors request CEO Clare Allen to “undertake investigations and assessments to determine the most appropriate path forward, and take all reasonable steps to facilitate access solutions for the community and impacted individuals.”
“Major structural issues have been identified on the Rawdon Island Bridge that are considered a high risk of bridge collapse under vehicle loading or lateral loads such as braking or flood debris impacts,” the report states.
“The bridge has been closed to vehicular traffic while further investigations and assessments are undertaken to determine the most appropriate path forward.
“Recognising that the Rawdon Island Bridge is the only means of access to and from the island, this project is considered urgent and will be prioritised accordingly.”
More than 50 homes are affected by the closure, which was instigated on July 5.
Poor construction, rather than flood damage, has been blamed for the deteriorating concrete – which was only brought to the council’s attention following the post-flood inspection.
The next underwater inspection was not listed for another two-to-three years.
Traffic solutions have been put in place for residents who have been cut off, and these measures, such as bus shuttles, remain.
Council staff are currently in the process of establishing a bridge monitoring plan including daily survey and sensors, and CCTV to allow any unexpected movements of the structure to be identified as soon as possible.
“If the risk can be adequately managed there is the possibility of reopening the structure for light vehicles only in the short term,” the council report states.
“Council staff also are currently investigating all potential solutions for repair, rectification or alternate routes.
The report states that initial estimates of costs range from $300,000 to $500,000. for rectification, $3 million for barges, or temporary crossings for alternate routes, $3 million to $6 million for repairs and rectification or between $25 and $30 million for a full replacement.
“If the recommendation is adopted, the 2021/22 Operational Plan will be impacted,” the report states.
“A number of projects may need to be deferred in order to provide sufficient funding and resources to complete this work, or additional loan funding should be sought to address this project.”
The report notes that these estimates are preliminary only, and may change following more detailed investigations and design updates.
The item will be discussed at Wednesday’s council meeting.
More Coverage
‘Back with the black dog’: Phone call that saved truckie’s life
Losing three truckie mates to suicide had a profound impact on Ian Taylor, who’s been in the industry for 20 years. After struggling with “the black dog” himself, he’s reminding others “you’re never alone” on Mental Health Day.
‘They were huge’: Red-bellied black snakes in heated tussle
A Mid-North Coast nature lover has captured a “mesmerising” video of two big snakes tangled up in a fiery wrestling match. Take a look and see what an expert had to say.