Greenlight for $7 million Rouse Rd bridge construction from November, with completion in 12 months

CONSTRUCTION of the much awaited bridge on the notorious Rouse Rd will start in November, with Blacktown Council confirming it should be completed within 12 months.

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CONSTRUCTION of the much awaited bridge on the notorious Rouse Rd will start in November, with Blacktown Council confirming it should be completed within 12 months.

The planned construction of the $7 million bridge will be a huge relief for the long suffering residents and Rouse Hill Anglican College community who have been waiting for years for it to be built because the causeway is often flooded and closed almost every time it rains.

The flooded causeway has also been called dangerous by some of the parents.

“We can confirm that construction on the bridge will start in November,” a Blacktown Council spokesman said.

Rouse Hill Anglican College principal Peter Fowler, student Lachlan Moore, Defence Minister Marise Payne, Greenway MP Michelle Rowland and student Kaitlyn Smith with a copy of the Rouse Hill Times at last year’s announcement of the new bridge. Picture: Phil Rogers

“It is anticipated that the bridge and associated roadworks will be completed in 12 months from then.”

The bridge will be jointly funded by the Federal Government and the council and will be built around 20m south of the existing causeway, known to locals as “the ditch”.

The recent heavy rains had closed Rouse Rd for long periods, forcing the school community to make double the detours over the past few weeks because nearby Cudgegong Rd has also been closed due to work associated with the Sydney Metro Northwest rail link.

Rouse Hill Anglican College principal Peter Fowler told the Rouse Hill Times about the challenges faced by them when the causeway is closed.

Rouse Rd has been closed several times during the recent rains. Picture: Lawrence Machado

“The added complications of the closure of Cudgegong Rd at Schofields Rd due to the railway construction and significant road works on other parts of Rouse Rd have made access to the college more challenging at this time,” Mr Fowler said.

“Fortunately, in most cases, buses and families have been able to make the necessary adjustments to get students to and from the college in a safe and timely manner.

“Understandably, a number of bus services have experienced delays due to unfavourable weather and road closures.

The flooded causeway at Rouse Rd.

“The college is eagerly awaiting the construction of the Rouse Rd bridge crossing of Second Ponds Creek and we are expecting this will assist greatly in alleviating local traffic issues, especially through periods of inclement weather.”

Heavy rain

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, some suburbs of the Hills recorded more than 54.5mm of rain on March 15, with Box Hill (50mm) and Shanes Park (49.6mm) also having unusually high rainfall that day

February in the Hills saw 166.9mm of rainfall