Swan Hill Rural City Council has welcomed further progress on the replacement Swan Hill Bridge, following an update from the Department of Transport and Planning and Transport for NSW presented directly to Council this week.
Representatives from both transport agencies met with Council to provide an update on the project, including the appointment of AECOM to undertake the concept design and environmental assessment work for the new bridge.
Swan Hill Rural City Council CEO Scott Barber said it was encouraging to see the project continuing to move forward.
“This is another really positive step towards delivering the new Swan Hill Bridge our community has been advocating for over many, many years.
“It was valuable to have representatives from the Department of Transport and Planning and Transport for NSW meet with us this week and provide Councillors with a detailed update on where the project is at and the work that lies ahead.
“There is a significant amount of planning and technical work required for a project of this scale, so the appointment of AECOM gives us confidence that this important work is continuing behind the scenes,” Mr Barber said.
The concept design and environmental assessment process will help refine key elements of the project, including the preferred bridge alignment, connections at Monash Drive and McCallum Street, construction arrangements and features required to meet future transport needs.
The proposed replacement will be a new two-lane moving span bridge with a wide shared path for pedestrians, cyclists and people with mobility needs.
It will be designed to modern standards and accommodate Higher Mass Limit and High Productivity freight vehicles, including oversized loads, while retaining river access through a moving bridge span.
Council’s Mayor, Cr Stuart King said replacing the existing bridge was critical for the future of the region.
“The Swan Hill Bridge is much more than a way of getting from one side of the river to the other. It is a critical connection between Victoria and New South Wales that supports our communities, agriculture, freight, businesses, tourism and our broader regional economy.
“Our existing bridge has served our community for many decades, but we need a modern, reliable and fit-for-purpose crossing that can meet the needs of our region well into the future,” he said.
The Australian Government has committed $60 million to the project, while the NSW Government has committed $7.5 million towards planning and development.
Cr King said while the latest progress was welcome, securing the investment required to move the project from planning to construction remained Council’s priority.
“We are really pleased to see this project progressing, but ultimately our community wants to see a new bridge built.
“As this planning work moves forward, it reinforces the need for the Victorian Government to come to the table with the investment needed to take that next critical step. There’s no point doing all the planning and design if the budget allocation isn’t made.
“Council has been working incredibly hard in the lead-up to the Victorian State Election to keep the new Swan Hill Bridge firmly on the agenda, and we will continue pushing all political candidates for the investment needed to finally deliver this vital project for our region.
“We have momentum, we have planning work underway and we have a community that has waited long enough. Now is the time to turn that progress into a funded and delivered new Swan Hill Bridge,” Cr King said.
“It’s time to build the bridge so we can all get over it!”
Council will keep the community informed as work progresses and there will be an opportunity to review and provide feedback on the proposal as part of the environmental assessment and concept design process, with public exhibition currently expected in late 2027.
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