BAD BRIDGE: Orange City Council hopes that by upgrading roads heavy vehicle drivers will find alternative routes to the problematic Peisley Street bridge. Photo: JUDE KEOGH 0315bridge
ORANGE City Council hopes to ease congestion on the Peisley Street bridge by offering bus and truck drivers alternative routes to the narrow and oddly-shaped bridge.
Council spokesman Allan Reeder said staff were aware of the potential dangers associated with the bridge, particularly when large vehicles were forced to travel to the wrong side of the road in order to negotiate its sharp bend.
“Council has been aware of the issues for some time and have conducted an in-depth investigation into how to fix it,” Mr Reeder said.
“A number of possible solutions came out but all of them were very expensive.”
Mr Reeder said the alignment of the railway tracks below the bridge, the sharpness of the bend and the steepness of the road made the structure difficult to rectify.
“It’s a very difficult situation to try and adapt,” he said.
Mr Reeder said while council hadn’t ruled out erecting a new structure they had decided to undertake a review of traffic conditions in the southern area of Orange via its Southern Feeder Road Strategy.
Some $4 million has already been budgeted for future work with council hoping to recoup some of the costs via government grants.
Once fully implemented the strategy involves “taking some of the pressure off” the Peisley Street bridge by upgrading other roads in the area.
“Heavy transport will find other ways of getting around,” Mr Reeder said.
He said at the moment drivers were encouraged to use “extra care” when travelling on the bridge.
“I think most people are well aware of the conditions,” he said.
