A meeting of the Emu Bridge Committee (EBC) in Bundarra late last week decided to pursue a three way funding deal to replace the century old bridge.
Estimated cost of the project is $3-$3.5 million.
The initiative would be community driven to seek a 25 per cent down payment from Uralla Council and matching funding from the Commonwealth.
The next step would be a submission for 50/50 funding from the State Government.
Member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay advised the meeting that this criteria for the state funding had been successful on many previous occasions.
But unless the local council put its offer on the table first, the bid was unlikely to be successful.
“The EBC needs to drive the initiative with council support,” he said.
“The Member for New England has inspected the bridge and expressed his willingness to seek federal funding sources.
“That is the process most likely to achieve an outcome.”
The meeting heard that the concrete bridge over the Gwydir River, 3.5kms south of Bundarra, was little more than a culvert and prone to flooding after relatively small falls of rain upstream.
Built in 1908, it is estimated to have another three years before it would be unusable. There has been local pressure since 1935 to have it replaced.
The situation is exacerbated by the increase in traffic along Thunderbolts Way particularly B-Doubles for which the bridge was never intended. Figures show the traffic averages 552 vehicles a day, 185 of that trucks and B-Doubles.
“The bridge was never supposed to meet that level of use and I will work with the community on the plan that was adopted at the meeting to pursue the 50 per cent funding, once council and the Commonwealth have committed.”
Mr Torbay said the offer of Upper House MP Sarah Mitchell, who attended the meeting, to invite Roads Minister Duncan Gay to inspect the bridge in June had his full support.
