The new Montgomerys Bridge on Iron Pot Creek Road is expected to open to traffic at the end of next week, restoring direct access for residents west of Iron Pot Creek.
The $3.3 million bridge will also mark the completion of Kyogle Council’s landmark $80 million Bridge Renewal Program.
Funded through the NSW Government’s State Election Commitment Program, the new bridge will restore direct access for some Iron Pot Creek and Ghinni Ghi residents who have faced a 16-kilometre detour each way since the old bridge was closed for safety reasons in November 2020.
Construction began late last year and is now in its final stages, with major works complete. Crews are completing bridge barriers and guardrails, road approaches and site rehabilitation ahead of the opening.
Mayor Danielle Mulholland said the opening would provide a welcome boost for local residents by restoring direct access for the community.
“Council acknowledges the bridge closure has not been easy for Ghinni Ghi and Iron Pot Creek Road residents and we thank them for their patience and understanding,” Mulholland said.
“We worked really hard over a number of years to secure funding for this project. We put in several applications under the Fixing Country Bridges Program before finally winning a Regional Roads Program grant as a part of the State Election Commitment announced in mid-2024.”
Montgomerys Bridge is the final bridge to be replaced under Council’s $80 million Bridge Renewal Program.
Over the past five years, Council has replaced 110 bridges across the Kyogle Local Government Area (LGA) through a funding partnership with the Australian and NSW governments.
The once-in-a-generation program has transformed the region’s transport network by replacing ageing timber structures with modern, safer and more flood-resilient bridges.
“This unprecedented bridge replacement program has delivered safer and more reliable infrastructure right across our LGA,” Mulholland said.
“Replacing 110 bridges in just five years is an extraordinary achievement and one that would not have been possible without our incredible staff and the support of the State and Federal Governments.
“This program has helped improve connectivity for communities, freight operators, emergency services and school bus routes, while reducing ongoing maintenance costs for Council and improving the resilience of our local road network.”
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