Construction of the new $12.8 million Camp Street Bridge over Lake Forbes begins on Monday, with detours around the existing historic bridge coming into effect on Sunday.
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Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole visited Forbes last month to announce the construction dates.
"The Camp Street Bridge - built in 1927 - has served the community and visitors to the area for nearly 100 years, but it is time for an upgrade," he said.
The new bridge is needed to meet current design standards, with some 5623 vehicles - about 10 per cent of them heavy vehicles - using it every day.
The new bridge will have two 3.5 metre lanes with a 1.5 metre shoulder on both sides of the road, built with 1925 tonnes of concrete and 215 tonnes of steel reinforcement.
That's in addition to one four metre pedestrian and pushbike path, and another two metre pedestrian path. The existing pedestrian footbridge will be relocated to Forbes Golf Club.
The new bridge will be 70 metres long - 11 metres longer than the existing bridge - made up of 133 precast concrete planks with 19 planks placed in each of seven 10m spans.
The height of the bridge will remain the same.
During construction, the bridge will be closed to all traffic and pedestrians. There will be no access across the lake at Camp Street.
Weather permitting, the new bridge will be completed by August 2020.
Alternative access for light vehicles and school buses will be available using local roads.
A heavy vehicle detour will be in place for vehicles over 22.5t or over 12.5m (school buses excluded). Heavy vehicles will be detoured via Wirrinya Road.
The heavy vehicle detour route will be in place for an estimated 43 weeks, sign posted during construction.
During construction around 50 people will work on the bridge from contractor Abergeldie, Forbes Shire Council and Roads and Maritime Services.
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