Early works now underway on the Rawsonville Bridge Replacement project

The New South Wales Government is investing in delivering a new concrete bridge to replace the ageing timber bridge built in 1916 at Rawsonville, about 21 kilometres west of Dubbo. 

The existing bridge no longer meets modern design standards and heavy vehicles with higher mass limit loads are unable to use it. 

Replacing the old timber bridge over the Macquarie River will not only improve safety for all road users and reduce travel times, but it will also help unlock more opportunities for economic growth in the Dubbo region. 

“I’m proud the NSW Government is investing an extra $6.4 million needed to get this job done. 

“I recognise the importance of the project and all the hard work put in by the project team to get this estimated $18.9 million project shovel ready. 

“Once completed, the new Rawsonville Bridge will deliver safer and smoother journeys for road users through wider lanes and better road approaches, increased load capacity for heavy vehicles, improves access for wide vehicles and reduced road closures,” Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said. 

Early works are already underway, including preliminary earthworks to build new approach embankments for the new bridge. Weather permitting, the work will take around 10 weeks to complete. 

Motorists in the area will observe some changes in traffic conditions while preliminary earthworks are carried out. 

Work hours for this project will be from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday. During these times, traffic control and a reduced speed limit of 80 km/h will be in place on the Mitchell Highway at the intersection with Rawsonville Bridge Road. 

Meanwhile, the speed limit on the bridge ia going to be reduced to 40 km/h during work hours and 80 km/h outside work hours. 

Rawsonville Bridge Road may also require intermittent single lane closures while earthworks are being done. 

Traffic control and a reduced speed limit of 80 km/h will also be in place on the Mitchell Highway at the intersection with Burrabadine Road during haulage of material from the stockpile at this project site, which will be used in the work. 

Motorists using these routes are reminded to stay within the set reduced speed limits, follow the direction of traffic controllers and signs, and allow about five minutes of extra travel time. 

The next stage of the Rawsonville Bridge Replacement project will invite tenderers to submit their interests in building the new bridge. This tender process is due to commence in late 2024. 

Transport for NSW will continue providing updates to the community as the project progresses. 

“Used by local traffic, tourists and vital regional freight operators, Rawsonville Bridge is an important crossing of the Macquarie River that links the Mitchell Highway to the Dubbo-Burraway Road and the Newell Highway between the towns of Dubbo and Narromine. 

“When the existing bridge is closed for maintenance, motorists are faced with a 45-kilometre detour to travel from one side of the river to the other. A new bridge will put an end to that frustrating inconvenience. 

“We appreciate the patience of all motorists as preliminary work gets underway on this important addition to western NSW’s roads infrastructure,” Dubbo Duty MLC Stephen Lawrence said. 

Source: Transport for NSW (1, 2); NSW Government – Media Releases