A deteriorated, one-way timber bridge on Dexter Road in Gordonvale has been replaced with a two-lane concrete structure that will improve safety, flood immunity and remove load limits.
The $2 million Dexter Road Bridge opened yesterday (Wednesday) following a four month construction, which included road alignment changes and widening to improve the approaches to the bridge.
Spanning across O'Leary Creek, the new structure replaces the aging 8.2-metre long bridge single lane bridge which operated with a give way on the eastern side.
Division 1 Councillor Brett Moller said the bridge provided a safer and more reliable route to the Gordonvale town centre for residents north of the bridge, as well as for local cane growers hauling to the Mulgrave Mill.
"This bridge is over 50 years old (constructed in 1968) and like all things deteriorate with age," Cr Moller said.
"For a number of years Council has undertaken remedial works to address concerns with structure and decreased its load capacity to decrease the amount of weight on the bridge.
"The old one-way bridge had no dedicated pedestrian walkway and flooding has been an ongoing issue – it floods just about every year.
"This new structure will improve flood immunity and in expanding the bridge to two lanes, we have added a walkway which means added safety for cyclists and pedestrians alike."
Cr Moller said Council consulted with the local residents, Sugar Research Australia and the Canegrowers organisation to work around access issues during the bridge's construction.
"We appreciate the patience and collaborative approach shown to enable this project to be undertaken," he said.
The project received $1.3 million from Roads to Recovery funding and $700,000 has been provided by Round 4 of the Bridge Renewal Program.
