The Minns Labor Government is continuing to build more connected communities, with major work starting this month to deliver the new Marshalls Creek Bridge.
The new Marshalls Creek Bridge will greatly improve journeys for the 20,000 vehicles that travel the Sturt Highway through Wagga Wagga every day.
The first sod will be turned today on the $30 million project that will replace the existing two-lane bridge with a wider four-lane structure.
When complete, the project will deliver improved traffic flow by eliminating the bottleneck created by the existing bridge, while also providing safer pedestrian and cyclist access with a wide shared path on the southern side and a footpath on the northern side of the new bridge.
The Sturt Highway provides a strategic freight and access link from Sydney, via the Hume Highway to Mildura in Victoria and on to Adelaide in South Australia.
Within Wagga Wagga, it serves as an arterial route, providing a vital east/west link for local businesses and residents to move across the city.
To minimise impacts to the community, traffic flow will be maintained through the project area as much as possible during construction. While full closures will be required at times, these will be limited as the new bridge will be built in stages over two years to help limit the pressure on Wagga Wagga's transport network.
Once the site fencing is up and heavy machinery in place, the first major stage of the construction will include building a temporary pedestrian bridge over Marshalls Creek, before removing the existing footpath on the bridge and a traffic shift to accommodate the first half of the build.
Transport for NSW will continue working closely with the contractors to ensure pedestrian access over the creek and active travel connections on Wiradjuri Track are maintained during construction.
Motorists are advised to drive to the conditions and follow the directions of signs and traffic control.
To stay up to date on upcoming closures and project stages, the community can subscribe to receive email and SMS updates by visiting the project website at nswroads.work/marshallscreek.
Minister for Roads, Jenny Aitchison said:
"This is such an exciting milestone for the 20,000 motorists travelling on this road every day as major work starts to deliver a safer, stronger and more efficient Marshalls Creek Bridge.
"The new bridge will also deliver improved safety with a dedicated shared path on one side and a footpath on the other, meaning pedestrians and cyclists no longer have to compete with traffic on a narrow bridge.
"This project will improve traffic flow on the Sturt Highway by replacing the existing two-way and two-lane crossing, doubling the number of lanes available and removing the need to merge."
Independent Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr. Joe McGirr said:
"This project is a real win for our local community. For too long, motorists in East Wagga Wagga have had to battle traffic bottlenecks and serious safety concerns at Marshalls Creek Bridge and today marks the start of fixing those problems.
"The Sturt Highway is not just a freight route, it's an everyday road for locals - parents getting kids to school, workers heading to jobs, and businesses moving goods around our city.
"Once complete, the new bridge will make daily travel safer and quicker for thousands of people right here in Wagga Wagga, while also improving access for pedestrians and cyclists."
