After a long life, the C
harles Street Bridge which has been serving the Rydal community for over seventy years is being replaced with a brand-new concrete alternative.The current wooden bridge, which crosses Solitary Creek and connects properties west of the bridge to the rest of the community.
The Council has awarded Central Industries the contract for the demolition and reconstruction of the Bridge. The project links to a series of works to replace country bridges across the city. The Council has already replaced three timber bridges with dual-lane concrete bridges along Glen Davis Road over the past two years at Airly, Coco and Crown Creeks.
The NSW Government’s Fixing Country Bridges program was established to identify and replace wooden bridges which are nearing the end of their useful life and replacing them with concrete alternatives. This not only ensures the safety of motorists on our local roads, but also reduces expenditure on continually repairing outdated bridges.
Lithgow City Mayor Maree Statham said, “The replacement of outdated wooden bridges will dramatically improve the driving experience of the residents who live in our villages and open up new opportunities for visitors using our roads to explore the Seven Valleys region.”
The replacement of the Charles Street Bridge is expected to commence in June and the bridge will be open in late 2024. While construction takes place a temporary bridge will be placed on adjacent properties on the north side of the bridge to serve as a detour. This temporary bridge will be weight rated up to 15 tonnes which will allow larger trucks including the Council waste service truck to access the road.