Old timber bridges may have a lovely rustic aesthetic, but when it comes to being a serviceable and effective piece of infrastructure, they're seriously lacking.
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Three bridges in the Blayney Shire will be replaced under the NSW Government's $500 million Fixing Country Bridges program.
The three are the Limestone Creek Bridge ($373,000), Gally Swamp Bridge ($170,000) and the Grubbenbun Creek Bridge ($192,000).
In particular the contentious 70-year-old bridge over the Grubbenbun Creek on Leabeater Street in Lyndhurst is to be replaced and the road straightened in what councillor David Kingham describes as the best possible outcome for the town.
"We saved money on Winterbottom Lane, we didn't do Lukin Road so with those savings, the $140,000 we had allocated for the bridge and the money from this grant we should be able to get this done properly," he said.
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"It's of high priority in Lyndhurst to have a straight Leabeater Street so that the Rural Fire Service trucks can go straight down that road if there's a fire south of town.
"Currently the bridge has a four tonne load limit which stops them from using it, plus it has a bend in it."
Not only will the RFS and residents benefit from having a proper bridge, Cr Kingham said that visitors will also benefit.
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"This will make access to the team-penning arena and the golf course a lot easier for those that use them," he said.
Member for Bathurst Paul Toole said the $735,000 investment means improved community connections to schools, towns and jobs, allowing easier movement of freight and delivering better outcomes for road safety.
"On top of easing the financial burden on councils, this program will create thousands of local jobs throughout regional communities at a time when they're needed most," Mr Toole said.
"I'm glad that in the Blayney district, we're going to see these three bridges replaced under this new round of funding because I know what a difference they'll make to entire communities."
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