January 8, 2010
Falling flood waters over the Somerton Bridge crossing show enough damage to prevent it being re-opened until at least January 13.
Tamworth Regional Council says preliminary inspections as the water has fallen across the causeway suggest some of the concrete slabs have been lifted and the alignment of the low level concrete structure has shifted.
The Peel River at Somerton on Thursday January 6 was still lapping the causeway but continuing to fall but TRC has warned that it is still unsafe for all traffic.
“We know it’s a pain, we know it means added frustration and detours and delays, but we are appealing to traffic to avoid the temptation to try to drive over it just yet,” TRC general manager Glenn Inglis said.
“We are updating our engineering and structural analysis as the water continues to recede but initial estimates suggest we will have a couple of days of work there to repair it and make it safe for traffic.”
Initial estimates suggest minor damage is at least $20,000 but until the water falls right down a final assessment can’t be determined.
The prospect of the latest repair bill is also an issue for TRC and the community. Mr Inglis has referred to it as a case of “spending more good money after bad,” while the saga of the bridge replacement continues.
Mr Inglis says the crossing and subsequent repairs before last weekend had already cost TRC and the community over $200,000 while it argues the point of flood relief funding to replace the damaged bridge from November 2008 with the State Government and the RTA.
Mr Inglis says the RTA and State Government have so far reneged on funding guidelines and the issue is in limbo – but TRC is not giving up the battle over the broken bridge and will take its case to the new minister for Transport and Roads David Campbell in Sydney on January 27.
The minister has agreed to meet with the mayor James Treloar, Mr Inglis, and local MP Peter Draper to discuss the Somerton Bridge issue.
TRC has been trying to negotiate flood damage funding for the bridge since it was hit with floodwaters and debris in November 2008. The 10-span single lane bridge crosses the Peel River on the Somerton to Manilla Rd and has been out of action since December 2008 and a low level bypass has been in place.
Since early this year a war of words has waged over who should pay what to fix the problem. The RTA had said the bridge was old and in a “deteriorated” condition before the floodwaters and debris had hit it and TRC was not eligible to claim full funding for it. TRC rejects that claim and says the State Government should pick up the full tab because the damage was the result of a natural disaster. TRC estimates it will cost $1.7million to build a new bridge, construct road approaches and demolish the broken one.