Toongabbie Bridge won’t be widened under state government project

It’s been the centre of political promises for years. Now motorists can know what to expect for the touted upgrade of a 77-year-old bridge in western Sydney.

Prospect MP Hugh McDermott, Parramatta councillor Sameer Pandey and Roads Minister John Graham at Toongabbie Bridge.

After years of pledges to widen the ageing and congested two-lane Toongabbie Bridge, the state government says the span won’t be expanded but upgrades to ease the bottlenecks flowing into it will be undertaken.

Roads Minister John Graham and Prospect state Labor MP Hugh McDermott visited the site, which is a key link to major arterial roads between Seven Hills Rd and the Cumberland Highway, on Wednesday.

It was originally identified as a Transport for NSW bridge project that would involve improvements to cater for a greater capacity of vehicles and better pedestrian access.

But developments that have sprung up alongside the structure, such as the multistorey Toongabbie Terrace Care Community, have restricted potential expansion work.

The bridge in 2019.

Mr McDermott said the solution relied on local road upgrades such as Cornelia Rd and Wentworth Ave.

“Continuing this work will ultimately support the local community by easing congestion, improving traffic flow and travel times across Toongabbie Bridge and around Toongabbie station,’’ he said.

Hugh McDermott, John Graham and Sameer Pandey with members of the Toongabbie community.

He said the bridge was structurally sound and the project was now under the control of Cumberland and Parramatta councils.

The decision follows an announcement in 2019, when the then Liberal government committed $2m to investigate potential improvements to the rail overpass to ease queuing and traffic delays, particularly during peak periods.

But after traffic modelling, design development, council consultation and cost analysis was completed, the project was handed over to the councils in November.

The councils will now continue planning “identified local road and intersection hot spot solutions”.

Transport for NSW will continue to work with the councils to deliver the critical road improvement project.