THE weekend’s drenching across the district may delay the reopening of the bridge at Perthville, Bathurst Regional Council says.
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Stage one of the $4 million flood mitigation works began in the village in mid-September and it has already extended beyond the anticipated six-week time frame.
Council had hoped that the bridge would reopen to one lane of traffic this week, however residents were warned that the weekend’s wet weather may cause another delay.
While pedestrians have been able to cross the Queen Charlottes Vale Creek, where possible, during the works, this will be stopped temporarily.
“Pedestrian access will be impacted on Monday between 9.30am and 2.30pm to allow for work on site that will assist in re-opening Bridge Street to traffic,” council’s website states.
Recent site works have focused on backfilling around the box culvert and building retaining walls that will underpin the crossing that will link the old bridge with the new culverts.
“The work is being done in two stages, with modular blocks put in place to form a retaining wall that will allow for a single lane of traffic to be restored to Bridge Street while the permanent culvert headwalls and wingwalls are constructed,” council’s website states.
“Formwork for the wing walls has been erected and it is hoped that the concrete pour for the first of these walls will take place Friday.
“Work will then move onto construction of the second wing wall.”
The Western Advocate reported on October 29 that the initial delay had been due to unexpected poor quality material at the site.
“Excavation of the material at the location of the culverts has revealed material of poor quality at the base of the culvert foundation, which required excavation to an additional depth of two metres,” council engineering services director Darren Sturgiss said.
“This has subsequently allowed for groundwater to flow into the excavation which has in turn created additional delays whilst the water is removed in an appropriate way.”
Contractors will continue to work on site six and a half days a week following an extension of working hours.
When the road is reopened, there will be a 10 tonne maximum weight load limit and a 40km/h maximum speed limit.
These conditions will remain in place until the bridge work is completed, and this is expected to be by the end of January, 2018.
Perthville businesses remain open for business as the works continue.
Information on the Perthville Flood Mitigation works, and copies of the project updates are available on the Bathurst Regional Council website at yoursay.bathurst.nsw.gov.au.