Horsham Rural City Council has secured all funding needed to allow construction of the planned Hamilton Street pedestrian bridge.
The Victorian Government on Thursday confirmed it would match a $1.225 million Federal Government grant announced last year through its Regional Infrastructure Fund.
It means the entire $2.45 million project will be paid for with external funding.
"We are extremely grateful to the state and federal governments. I am proud that our Council has been able to attract this substantial amount of money for a project in our regional city," Mayor Robyn Gulline said.
"It means the entire project's construction will be funded at no cost to our ratepayers which is a terrific outcome for the many community members who have called for this bridge to be constructed for many years," she said.
A recommendation to approve a contract for the design and construction of the bridge is part of the agenda for Monday's March 28 Council Meeting.
Works will begin immediately on the detailed construction drawings and pre-fabrication of steel works. The community will notice on-site works occurring in the second half of 2022, with the bridge completed by 31 December 2022.
The pedestrian bridge will link the newly developed residential areas on the south-east side of the Wimmera River with Horsham's central activity district, several schools and the Wimmera Base Hospital, and provide improved economic, safety, recreational and liveability outcomes for our city.
The new pedestrian bridge will also link to existing walking trails along the Wimmera River to provide a continuous 10km loop along the river foreshore in central Horsham, an attractive activity for residents and visitors alike.
Cr Gulline said confirmation of the pedestrian bridge's construction did not mean that planning for a second road bridge across the river was off the table.
"As a council we are working in with Regional Roads Victoria to develop a feasibility study for an alternative truck route through Horsham. This will include another vehicle bridge across the river," she said.
Quotes attributable to Jaala Pulford, Member for Western Victoria:
"The new batch of projects in the Regional Infrastructure Fund – Round 2 will continue to deliver promising outcomes for regional and rural Victorian communities by accelerating jobs and business growth."
"Investments like the Hamilton Street Pedestrian Bridge demonstrate how we are supporting the projects that matter, while driving a much-needed economic boost across the state."
