Expect to start seeing works for the Nepean River Green Bridge by July, now the State Government has announced who will construct the $49 million project.
On Monday, Seymour Whyte Constructions were revealed as the chosen tender, that will finally enable the beginning of construction five years after the project’s initial announcement.
Greg Anderson, Project Manager at Seymour Whyte Constructions said they will set up their compound in Penrith’s Memorial Avenue in July, and then prepare the build.
“Preparatory works include the removal of overhead power lines that are getting shifted closer to the old bridge, then we will undertake ground prep works for the abutments,” he said.
The bridge will be built from the eastern side of the river, and will be pushed out over temporary piers in the river incrementally.
The final bridge will have just one permanent pier on the western side of the river and will be the same height as the Victoria Bridge.
Member for Penrith Stuart Ayres said the bridge will have the largest uninterrupted span of any pedestrian bridge in Australia, at 200 metres long.
“The A-frame truss of the bridge is designed to hold up a very large and heavy span, the ensure we have the least amount of interruption on rowing, and user groups across the river,” he said.
There were a number of obstacles at the “difficult site” up until now, including site heritage, flooding issues, gas mains, road works and the fire at the Log Cabin.
These increased the time length of the project and as a result, the cost, but Minister for Roads Duncan Gay said there will still be huge benefits to the 500 people that brave the Victoria Bridge everyday.
“I think there will be two or three times as many people who will want to use this one when it’s in place,” he said.
It will be completed by 2018 and will have cost the NSW Government $49 million, over twice the original amount of funding allocated to the project.
“The early estimates [for cost] were before we went into detail, and when we went into detail the costs were extra,” Mr Gay said.
He said the extra money came from subsequent NSW Government budgets since the first allocation of money in the 2011 to 2012 budget.
