December 9, 2015
Recent rain has delayed the South Burnett Regional Council’s bridge replacement program.
Roads Portfolio chairman Cr Damien Tessmann told Wednesday’s SBRC meeting the 148mm of rain that fell across the region in November – double the long-term average – had caused construction delays on bridges being built on Campbells Road in Silverleaf and Weens Road near Crawford.
The Campbells Road bridge has had both headstocks formed, reinforced and poured and its concrete piles trimmed to length, Cr Tessmann said.
But flooding in Barambah Creek had inundated excavations associated with the abutments as well as the bridge’s construction pad. Work was deferred until the creek’s level dropped.
Weens Road bridge suffered a similar fate.
“The bridge has had its concrete piles trimmed to length but the site has been subject to frequent overtopping of the side track, closing the road for public access,” Cr Tessmann said.
However, work on a third bridge at Hansens Gully in Mondure has been progressing smoothly.
Cr Tessmann said the bridge now had its concrete piles trimmed to length, abutment protection installed and abutments poured.
He also reported that design work has started to enable the wooden bridge on Stonelands Road north of Hivesville to be replaced with large box culverts.
Stonelands Road is another bridge replacement project that was flagged in this year’s Budget.