28 July 2020

Eight months of refurbishments to help future-proof the historic Colemans Bridge will deliver safer and smoother journeys over Lismore’s Leycester Creek.

Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Roads and Infrastructure Chris Gulaptis said work to repaint and strengthen the 111-year-old Dare truss bridge was now complete. 

“Colemans Bridge provides a vital link over Leycester Creek between the Lismore CBD and South Lismore, and upgrades like this help ensure the bridge remains fit for use for many more years to come,” Mr Gulaptis said.

“Work to strengthen and maintain Colemans Bridge has been under way since November last year, and included re-stressing the stress laminated timber decks, strengthening trusses and replacing the existing traffic barrier.

“The project team has also replaced selected timber elements, removed steel corrosion, repaired the bridge surface and walkway, and repainted the bridge truss and walkway handrails.”

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said the $4 million refurbishment, funded through the NSW Government’s Bridges for the Bush program, was on the back of discussions with Transport for NSW, Lismore City Council and other local stakeholders early last year.

“This project is not only about essential maintenance on Colemans Bridge to ensure it continues serving the local community well into the future, but it’s kept about 15 people employed full time over the eight-month project, with most of the contract work and fabrication done by local companies,” Mr Toole said.

The Bridges for the Bush program invests in critical infrastructure to remove a number of significant freight pinch points or bottlenecks on the state road network and to improve the safety and reliability of some old bridge structures.

The project involved closing the bridge during weekends, and it will continue to be closed for up to four more weekends over the next four months to complete the finishing touches, including painting the central steel pier, applying the final seal to the road surface and carrying out line marking.

One of the two pedestrian walkways will be closed during this work, and the community will be advised well in advance of these closures

Information about this project is available at www.rms.nsw.gov.au/colemansbridge.