The replacement Violet Street Bridge in Narrabri will not open until mid-November, after workers uncovered huge rock formations under the riverbed during piling.
Narrabri Shire Council revealed the delay this week, saying difficult ground conditions had forced an adjustment to the project’s timeline. The $7 million bridge was originally due to be finished earlier this year.
Cr Darrell Tiemens said the discovery, while frustrating, had confirmed the new bridge was the right call.
“It’s such a good decision to build this new bridge,” Cr Tiemens said.
He said the rock formations, which were not revealed before construction began, meant the new structure would be built on far more solid footing than its predecessor.
“We’re going to have a bridge that will last a very long time because it’s going to be built on solid ground,” Cr Tiemens said.
A workplace injury involving one of the subcontractors, since resolved, also contributed to the delay, according to Cr Tiemens.
Council is now working with the project’s contractor on anticipated cost increases linked to the longer build time. A report on those costs will go before Councillors at next month’s Ordinary Council Meeting. Cr Tiemens said any extra costs would continue to be covered by federal government grants.
“It won’t affect the ratepayers, but it does push out the project by a couple of months,” Cr Tiemens said.
The $7 million project has been funded through a $5 million contribution from the Infrastructure Betterment Program, jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. The remaining $2 million came from the Australian Government’s Roads to Recovery Program.
Despite the setback, Council said work was continuing at a steady pace. Crews have installed precast pile caps for Pier 2 and Pier 3, and construction is underway on the abutment on the Tibbereena Street side. Steel fixing has been completed on the Selina Street abutment.
Work for the rest of this month will focus on the Pier 2 and Pier 3 blade walls. Next month will bring construction and installation of the precast pile cap and blade wall for Pier 1, along with demolition of the existing bridge piers, construction of headwalls on each pier, and work on Abutment A. In September, crews will move on to installing the bridge girders and building the bridge deck.
Cr Tiemens acknowledged the disruption the closure had caused, particularly for families near Narrabri High School during school drop-off.
“It has been quite inconvenient, particularly around school drop-off time,” Cr Tiemens said.
He said the existing high bridge would continue to serve as a backup crossing if a flood event occurred before the new bridge opens, with Council working alongside Transport for NSW to manage traffic between both sides of town.
Once finished, the new bridge will have unrestricted load capacity, allowing it to carry all vehicle types, including heavy trucks using the Newell Highway. It will also include a separate shared pathway for pedestrians and cyclists on each side of the structure.
The new design will also cut the time needed to clear flood barriers during high water events, reducing disruption for residents and road users.
Cr Tiemens said the new bridge, once open, would serve Narrabri for decades to come.
“It’ll be here for many generations, I would suggest,” Cr Tiemens said.
Council has thanked the local community for its patience during the project. Regular updates are available through the project’s dedicated webpage, social media, local media and Council’s website.
More information is available at https://yoursay.narrabri.nsw.gov.au/violet-street-bridge
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