Stop the River St Bridge
Stop the River St Bridge
Dubbo to become more dangerous, noisy & congested if the bridge is not relocated to a bypass!
Dubbo Council has been lobbying the state government for 10 years for the money to build a high level bridge on a traffic bypass in North Dubbo to flood proof the Newell Highway and take heavy vehicles out of the middle of Dubbo. Heavy vehicles number up to 20, 000 per day according to council and is set to increase as Toongi Mine add 75 trucks to their fleet and increased number of heavy vehicles are needed to transport goods and livestock to and from Parkes railway stations once the inland rail opens.
In 2017 the state government ignored Dubbo's wishes and announced their preferred location for the new RMS bridge is River St. The Newell Highway would be re-routed down the west bank of the Macquarie through farms, houses and Wiradjuri Park, emerging at the troubled and flood prone intersection of Whylandra & Thompson Sts. This proposal would increase the amount of heavy traffic along Thompson St and up Whylandra St and through the horrendous intersection of Whylandra & Victoria Sts (in front of the LH Ford). These streets and intersections are already heavily congested. To make matters worse, Cobra, Victoria and Whylandra Streets will be widened to create more lanes, with the loss of much :seeded kerbside parking.
In the flood of 2010, heavy vehicles and other traffic on the Newell that would normally cross the Macquarie at the Serisier and Troy Bridges was forced into town to cross the LH Ford Bridge (Mitchell Highway) meaning that the crossing time for locals was at least 60 minutes. The Newell Highway needs a flood proof crossing of its own. However, the best that can be achieved at River St is a 1 in 20 year flood bridge, despite a proposed length of 545m. In half the floods, it is will be under water! Even if the bridge itself is above water, its approach roads on both sides of the bridge will still be flooded. Therefore any bridge built at River St would be closed during floods. A high level bridge at Troy only 200-250m in length could achieve a 1 in 100 year flood bridge.
The ',artist's impression' of the River St Bridge airbrushes out houses and farms that would be compulsorily resumed. It also airbrushes out other problems like the sewage pumping station and its 2m diameter pipes carrying effluent to the water treatment works and the power poles whose lines supply electricity to Narromine and further west, both of which are in the path of the new route of the Newell Highway.
Much loved Wiradjuri Park, which is currently used by locals is currently used for NAIDOC ceremonies, dog walking, recreational fishing and picnics and is home to much wildlife is set to be bulldozed if a bridge is put in at River St. Aboriginal elders have indicated that there are sacred sites along the west bank of the Macquarie and that Troy Bridge is the only option to preserve their culture.
Currently Dubbo has few facilities for truck drivers, so a bypass option a incorporating a high level bridge on Troy Bridge Rd will mean there is space for roadhouses to be built and for drivers to pull up and park to get a feed and shower.
Please join our campaign for a better bridge location. Find out what you can do to help by joining our Facebook page haps://www.facebook.comiStopRiverStBridge/
Our petition is available at the Dubbo Neighbourhood Centre, the Book
Connection, Delray Pharmacy and other locations.