Photo caption: Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton (right) and Gilgandra Shire Council Mayor Doug Batten (left) officially opened the Lucas Bridge today. They are pictured with Ken Lucas and Bev Lewis, descendants of the bridge’s namesake Lance Lucas.

Local road users and freight operators will reap the benefits of the new Lucas Bridge over the Castlereagh River at Breelong, with the $2.5 million upgrade now complete.

Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton today joined Gilgandra Shire Council Mayor Doug Batten to officially open the new bridge.

“It’s fantastic to be here today to open this new bridge, which is a much-needed improvement to the old timber structure,” Mr Coulton said.

“This a great win for the local community, who campaigned for this upgrade for some time. This new concrete bridge will significantly improve the safety and accessibility of this route for local road users and freight operators.

“The Nationals and Liberals recognise that building new bridges helps to strengthen our freight network, ensuring valuable commodities continue flowing to international and domestic buyers.

“We are getting the job done by delivering the infrastructure needed to improve our regional roads, while creating local jobs and strengthening the economy.”

Gilgandra Shire Council Mayor Doug Batten said it’s an exciting day for the shire.

“The upgrade of the Lucas Bridge has been a priority of Council for some time, and we are proud to have partnered with the Federal Government to achieve this,” Cr Batten said.

“The long-term benefits of this project are significant, and we appreciate the community’s patience while the contractors have battled the elements to complete the job.”

The $2.5 million Lucas Bridge replacement project received $1.25 million in funding through Round 5 of the Federal Government’s Bridges Renewal Program, with Gilgandra Shire Council contributing the remaining funds.

The Bridges Renewal Program is designed to bolster the productivity of Australia’s local bridges and give councils the support they need to better serve communities and drive greater road efficiencies.

The Liberal and Nationals Government is investing a further $40 million into the Bridges Renewal Program over the next four years, bringing the total commitment under this program to nearly $900 million.

For more information about the Bridges to Renewal Program or to apply for funding, visit https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/resources/brp-hvspp/index.aspx