Lake Macquarie City Council is calling for tenders to construct a long-awaited bridge across Cockle Creek on The Weir Road, Barnsley.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer Tony Farrell said building the new bridge would provide a more reliable, direct route for the 2000 vehicles travelling between Barnsley and Teralba daily.
"This bridge will be a significant benefit for drivers, cyclists and the local community," Mr Farrell said.
"The existing weir experiences flooding multiple times a year, and is often closed to traffic during rainfall events. Construction of a bridge over Cockle Creek will ensure there is unrestricted access between Barnsley, Teralba and northern Lake Macquarie.
"Releasing the tender to market is a significant step forward for this significant infrastructure project."
The project involves the construction of a dual-lane bridge, realignment of The Weir Road to improve road safety and construction of a 2.5m-wide shared pathway on the northern side of the bridge to provide safer access for pedestrians and cyclist.
The weir over Cockle Creek is currently closed to traffic following damage during April's wild weather.
"Investigations are continuing into the structural integrity of the weir," Mr Farrell said.
"We will provide an update to the community when the risk, feasibility and cost of repairing the weir is understood."
Construction of the new bridge is expected to start in mid-2021 and be completed in mid-2022.
Tenders must be submitted by 2pm on Tuesday 25 May 2021. To access tender documentation, visit tenderlink.com/lakemac.
This project is jointly funded with the Australian Government committing $4.7 million and Council funding the remainder of the project.
