A bridge across the Richmond River will be rebuilt 4.8metres higher.
Grieve Crossing Bridge on Gradys Creek Road is being rebuilt with funding of $5.1million from the State Government.
The existing single-lane timber bridge is being replaced with a two-lane concrete structure.
Kyogle Council mayor Danielle Mulholland said the new alignment addresses the awkward positioning of the existing road onto and off the bridge making it safer.
“It will also be higher which means it won’t flood as regularly, increasing the community’s flood resilience,” Ms Mulholland said.
The new bridge being built by Kyogle Council will end up being 10metres higher than water level.
Grieve Crossing Bridge is part of an important access route linking Summerland Way at The Risk with the Queensland-NSW border.
Work started earlier this month and the bridge is expected to be open to traffic from August next year.
Grieve Crossing Bridge is located in the upper catchment of the Richmond River and and is impacted by flood events for about 11 days every year.
The bridge is used by about 4000 cars each week with about 400 of those being heavy vehicles, including school buses.
NSW Parliamentary secretary for disaster recovery and State MP Janelle Saffin said the extra height on this bridge makes a difference.
“It’s heartening to see another project underway to ensure the Northern Rivers region becomes more resilient to flooding,” she said.
The project is supported by more than $2.5million through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangement’s Regional Roads and Transport Recovery Package and $2.5million from the Fixing Country Bridges Program.
This information was provided by the office of Janelle Saffin.
