Work is progressing on a major infrastructure upgrade to improve two key evacuation routes in the Ballina Shire, with plans to duplicate Fishery Creek Bridge on River Street and Canal Bridge on Tamarind Drive at Ballina now well underway.
These vital corridors play a critical role in connecting communities and providing safe passage during emergencies.
The upgrades will enhance road safety, reduce congestion and ensure more reliable access for residents during floods, bushfires and other natural disasters.
"These bridges are lifelines for our community during major flood events, and strengthening them has been a long-standing priority for Council. The duplications will ease congestion, improve travel times and deliver safer, more reliable access for residents every day, and critically during emergencies," said Ballina Shire Mayor Sharon Cadwallader.
"This investment will make a real difference to the safety and confidence of our community. I want to thank the State and Federal governments for partnering with us to deliver such an important project for the Northern Rivers."
In a key milestone, Ballina Shire Council has awarded a contract to Quickway Constructions to construct the duplication of Canal Bridge on Tamarind Drive and Fishery Creek Bridge on River Street including the road approaches.
The scope of the contract includes:
- Prepare the design and construct two new parallel bridges at Fishery Creek Bridge and Canal Bridge, expanding access to four lanes for travel to and from Ballina Island.
- Expand the approach roads to match the four-lane bridges.
- Improve pedestrian and cycleway links to cater for more active transport across the waterways.
Major construction on this stage of the project is expected to begin in February 2026 at both sites and be completed in the second half of 2027.
As part of the planning phase, Ballina Shire Council exhibited the Review of Environmental Factors for each bridge project to seek community feedback, with the results now available on Council's website.
The duplication of the bridges and raising these sections of road will increase the traffic capacity and improve evacuation options during flooding events, building a more resilient road network.
The bridge duplication project is supported by $40 million in funding from the Australian Government's Emergency Response Fund, administered by the NSW Reconstruction Authority under the Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program.
For further information, project updates and to sign up for the project newsletter, visit ballina.nsw.gov.au/BallinaBridgeDuplications
