The first section of the new Marshalls Creek Bridge will open to traffic next week, marking the halfway point of the Minns Labor Government's $30 million upgrade and bringing the Riverina a step closer to a safer, four-lane Sturt Highway through Wagga Wagga.
On track to be completed in mid-2027, the new bridge will extend the four-lane Sturt Highway corridor through Wagga Wagga to around 4.5 kilometres, delivering smoother journeys for motorists while improving connections for pedestrians and cyclists.
The new bridge will remove a long-standing bottleneck and improve traffic flow, safety and reliability on one of the Riverina's key transport routes.
Over the past year, crews have built what will become the bridge's new eastbound section, including two 3.5-metre travel lanes. Construction has involved installing eight foundation piles, placing 30 concrete bridge planks, using 35 tonnes of reinforcing steel and pouring around 45 truckloads of concrete.
With the new section now ready for traffic, vehicles will temporarily switch onto it while the existing bridge is demolished and replaced, bringing the project another step closer to its final four-lane configuration.
As work progresses, an ecologist will also carve 16 habitat hollows into trees along Marshalls Creek, creating new homes for native birds and wildlife as part of the next stage of construction.
The Sturt Highway pedestrian crossing will be relocated further west while the temporary east-west creek crossing will remain in place.
Motorists are reminded to drive to the conditions, follow the directions of traffic controllers and allow up to five minutes of additional travel time while work continues.
For the latest traffic updates, motorists can download the Live Traffic NSW app, visit livetraffic.com or call 132 701.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Roads and Regional Transport, Jenny Aitchison:
"The project is delivering a safer and more reliable route through Wagga Wagga.
"Reaching the halfway point is a significant milestone for this important project and its great news that motorists will soon be driving across the new section of bridge.
"This $30 million investment is removing a well-known pinch point on the Sturt Highway, improving safety, reducing congestion and delivering a better journey for everyone who travels through Wagga Wagga.
"Once complete, motorists will benefit from a continuous four-lane highway through the city while pedestrians and cyclists will also enjoy safer connections."
Quotes attributable to Independent Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr:
"This is an important milestone for our community, which identified the need for major works around Marshalls Creek as a priority for the future of Wagga's transport network.
"The works are delivering safer, smoother journeys along one of our key arterial networks with the extension of the four-lane stretch on the Sturt Highway to remove a frustrating bottleneck and enable traffic to move more efficiently.
"I acknowledge the government for its commitment to this investment in Wagga's future and thank community members who helped to identify the need for this work, and for their patience during construction."
