Timber Truss road bridges

Roads and Maritime Services has finalised a strategy for the sustainable conservation of heritage timber truss bridges following stakeholder and community involvement.
On this page
Background
Roads and Maritime manages 48 of the State's 63 remaining timber truss bridges. Built between about 1860 and 1936, these bridges represent an important part of the heritage of NSW, with 29 currently listed on the State Heritage Register.
Managing these historic assets into the future presents a significant challenge. Issues include load carrying capacity, narrow bridge width, poor access and frequent and very expensive ongoing maintenance needs.
Strategic approach
In balancing future transport needs with heritage conservation, Roads and Maritime has researched and identified those timber truss bridges that require either:
- Long-term conservation
- Conservation with modifications
- Replacement.
Of the 48 bridges under our management, Roads and Maritime is proposing to retain 26 bridges that would reflect the history and diversity of timber truss style bridges. It is proposed 22 timber truss bridges be replaced with a modern bridge.
Roads and Maritime is also proposing to remove 12 bridges from the State Heritage Register and add three. Roads and Maritime made a formal application to the Heritage Council following stakeholder and community consultation in 2011.
Submissions report and conservation strategy
The community was invited to comment on the strategy from 18 July 2011 to 26 August 2011.
Roads and Maritime analysed public submissions and prepared a report which summarises the issues raised, responses to each issue and the revised strategy that reflects its response to those submissions. The submissions report and revised conservation strategy is available on the projects documents page.
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Cobram Bridge - de Burgh truss - Roads and Maritime Services strategy: retain
Hinton Bridge - Allan truss - Roads and Maritime Services strategy: retain
Victoria Bridge - Allan Truss - Roads and Maritime Services strategy: retain
Clarence Town Bridge - Old PWD truss - Roads and Maritime Services strategy: retain
Mungindi Bridge - Dare truss - Roads and Maritime Services strategy: replace
Junction Bridge - McDonald truss - Roads and Maritime Services strategy: retain
Briner Bridge - Dare truss - Roads and Maritime Services strategy: retain
Barham Bridge - de Burgh truss - Roads and Maritime Services strategy: replace
Monkerai Bridge - Old PWD truss - Roads and Maritime Services strategy: retain
Junction Bridge - McDonald truss - Roads and Maritime Services strategy: retain
New Buildings Bridge - Dare truss - Roads and Maritime Services strategy: retain
Mungindi Bridge - Dare truss - Roads and Maritime Services strategy: replace
Coorei Bridge - Dare truss - Roads and Maritime Services strategy: replace
Coonamit Bridge - Dare truss - Roads and Maritime Services strategy:replace
Colemans Bridge - Dare truss - Roads and Maritime Services strategy: retain
Bulga Creek Bridge - Dare truss - Roads and Maritime Services strategy: replace