Bridge reopening caps off major renewal program

Published on 02 August 2023

Work is complete on the new bridge on Beaufort-Carngham Road at Mena Park. The successful project caps off a major renewal program in the Pyrenees Shire that has seen six bridges replaced over the last three years, providing a boost to the transport and agriculture sectors.

Beaufort-Carngham Road reopened on schedule on 31 July after four months of construction by Echuca-based contractor Civil and Earth Australia Pty Ltd. Resealing of the road surface due to flood damage nearby has also now been completed.

The new bridge is slightly wider, includes improved safety railing, and can be used by oversize and overmass vehicles such as B-doubles.

Bridges have also been replaced on Raglan-Elmhurst Rd over Fiery Creek, on Carngham-Streatham Road, Moonambel-Warrenmang Road, Chepstow-Pittong Road, and Lamplough-Greenhill Creek Road.

“Many of these bridges were more than half a century old," Pyrenees Shire Council Mayor Cr Ron Eason said. "It's vital for our economy that we bring them up to modern engineering standards to improve safety and avoid restrictions on heavy vehicles using these roads."

Council funded the $3.85M bridge renewal program with assistance from various sources including the Australian Government’s Bridges Renewal and Roads to Recovery programs, and the Victorian Government's AgriLinks Upgrade Program.

Council is currently investigating the upgrade of another Bridge on Beaufort-Carngham Road which would enable the road to be approved as a B-Double route between the Western Highway and Carngham-Streatham Road.