Melville Ford Bridge remains closed in the wake of the July flooding which caused major damage and erosion to the bridge and its surrounds.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Maitland City Council has previously committed to upgrading Melville Ford Bridge to make it more flood resistant for future events.
In November 2020 The Mercury reported how the historic bridge was poised for a spruce up with council calling for tenders to upgrade the structure to accommodate two-way traffic.
At that stage council officers were sorting through tenders to strengthen and widen the timber bridge over the Hunter River.
The successful contractor would undertake the replacement of the deck and structural repairs.
In the news:
- It's their party and they'll pipe if they want to - City of Maitland Pipes and Drums celebrates
- $71.5 million to repair flood mitigation infrastructure across Maitland and the Hunter
- Big rig show hopes to raise big bucks for multiple sclerosis
- 'Justice for Anne': Family's relief as driver guilty of Heddon Greta fatal pedestrian crash
- A raging river, endless mud and saving abandoned calves - life on the land still harsh after flood
The new bridge design would include widening to accommodate two-way traffic and have a design life of 50 years.
The bridge is often inundated during heavy rain and the road linking Rutherford to Rosebrook and Bolwarra Heights often closed during wet weather events.
Council officers are assessing the impacts of the most recent flood and are investigating the impacts of a landslide on the north side of the river.
That landslide, combined with debris ridden floodwaters that rose nearly as high as Aberglasslyn Lane (on the south side), has wreaked havoc,
Clean up and recovery has been ongoing since water receded, and council will continue working on site over the coming weeks.
At this stage there is no timeline for the reopening of the bridge, but council will keep the community informed.