Blayney Shire Council is expected to tick off the tender process for the bridge linking Carcoar to Millthorpe along Carcoar Road at Monday night's council meeting - a link which was last usable more than seven years ago.
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The decision to approve the project will go up for a vote, and if the vote is successful council is expected to approve a tender application for the bridge's construction.
The Carcoar Road link bridge was pulled down more than six years ago, and the proposal to be put before council would include upgrades to the dirt road either side of the bridge site, which is currently a 35-metre gap above Cowriga Creek.
It's going to be for people who want to come off the bitumen and want to drive a couple of kilometres between Millthorpe and Carcoar.
- Councillor Bruce Reynolds
Councillor Bruce Reynolds said he was "optimistic" his fellow representatives would make a decision on the project at Monday night's council meeting, the key link to be proposed as a key part of a tourist drive between the two historic villages.
"It's a valuable tourist road. Carcoar is just over the hill a little bit and one of our objectives with it is to improve our tourism," Cr Reynolds said.
"We're working with Orange360, and they're already said they're looking at marketing this route as a tourist route once it's open.
"It's going to be for people who want to come off the bitumen and want to drive a couple of kilometres between Millthorpe and Carcoar."
MAP: The location of the proposed new bridge ...
Cr Reynolds, who is also the Blayney Shire Council Tourism Town and Villages Committee chair, said he was hopeful the council could approve the bridge and re-open the road.
He said there would be benefit for residents around Carcoar, as well as providing a better link for Rural Fire Service volunteers, who currently need to ford the creek to cross to the southern part of Carcoar Road.
"There are a number of residents of Carcoar who work in Orange and this would be the quickest route for those who want to work or shop in Orange and take a direct route instead of Errowanbang Road," Cr Reynolds said.
A decision will be made on Monday night, and if the project plan is given the tick of approval, council will release the costings and successful tender applicants.
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