Community invited to bridge opening

RResidents and landowners on both sides of the Murray River will be buoyed by news that the new Towong Bridge will be officially opened next week after being closed for more than a year.

Transport NSW is inviting the Upper Murray community to celebrate the opening of the bridge to traffic in the coming weeks.

Regional Director South, Sam Knight, said the $10 million Towong Bridge – jointly funded by the NSW and Victorian governments as part of the Border Bridge Maintenance Program – will deliver a stronger and longer lasting bridge.

“The new 58-metre-long bridge requires less maintenance and has an increased capacity to carry more traffic and heavier loads,” Ms Knight said.

“This will benefit the freight and agricultural industries as well as tourists and local residents.”

Ms Knight said the new bridge was expected to open to traffic in coming weeks, with the community now invited to celebrate at Community invited to bridge opening a community event to be held at the campground on the NSW side of the bridge next Tuesday July 18th from 11am to 1pm.

“We would like to thank the community for their patience and understanding during the work, especially motorists who have had 20 minutes added to their journeys via the detours in place,” Ms Knight said.

“The community event will give everyone the opportunity to come along and chat to Transport staff who worked on the bridge, enjoy a sausage sizzle and a coffee and celebrate the official opening.”

Ms Knight said Towong Bridge is an important link across the Murray River for local residents in the Snowy Valleys Council LGA in NSW and the Towong Shire in Victoria.

“The new two-metre wide shared pathway along one side of the bridge will further add to the connectivity across the border, particularly between the campground on the NSW side and Towong in Victoria,” Ms Knight said.

“Work on the new landmark started in April last year with the removal of the old bridge, before construction of the new bridge started two months later.

“The original Towong Bridge was built in 1938 as a timber beam bridge across the Murray River between Bringenbrong in NSW and Towong, in Victoria.

“It had reached the end of its serviceable life. Some timber has been retained and will be given to councils on both sides of the river to use in local projects to celebrate the old bridge.

“Signage will also be installed near the new bridge telling the story of the area and the historical significance of the crossing.”

For more details about the bridge and the community event visit nswroads.work/towong.

This article appeared in the Corryong Courier, 13 July 2023.