Pollocksford Road Bridge, Gnarwarre

Together with Golden Plains Shire we have awarded the contract for repairs to the Pollocksford Road Bridge.

The contract covers the design and construction of a new bridge deck while protecting the bridge's heritage listed features, including the original bluestone piers and abutments.

We are now working with the contractor on the timeline for works and will provide an update to the community.

The initial works will be detailed designs, so on ground works won't start immediately.

We appreciate the community's patience while we have worked through the investigations, design and procurement process.

Tenders for the repair of the Pollocksford Road Bridge have now closed and we are currently assessing submissions.

A recommendation for the contract award will be presented at an upcoming council meeting.

Once the contractor is appointed, we will develop a detailed construction timeline and will share it with the community.

The tender for the repair of the Pollocksford Road Bridge has been released with a detailed construction timeline to follow.

At the start of the year specialist bridge engineers were engaged to assess the impact of a heavier replacement deck on the bridge’s bluestone columns (piers).

Based on this advice, we’ve decided to proceed with a tender for design and construction of the new deck for the bridge. As part of the tender any increase in the weight of the replacement deck will be limited to less than 20% of the current load. The bridge supports will also be closely monitored during and after the construction works.

This process has taken longer than expected but we need to make sure that the heritage parts of the bridge will not be comprised or damaged in the rebuild of the deck.

The tender was released to the market on 11 April and will be open for a period of five and a half weeks. Following evaluation, a recommendation will be presented to Council for approval.

Once a contractor is appointed, a detailed construction timeline will be developed and shared with the community.

Thanks for your patience as we work through this complex project and ensure the best possible outcome for the bridge and surrounding area.

Specialist bridge engineers have been engaged to undertake further technical assessment of the concept design for the deck replacement.

The concept design proposes a heavier replacement deck, which may pose a potential risk to the existing bluestone piers, or columns, supporting the bridge.

To better understand and manage this risk - and ensure that the increased permanent load doesn’t cause the piers to move - Council is engaging specialist bridge engineers. They will undertake a detailed risk assessment and advise on the scope and scale of any further geotechnical investigations required.

The bluestone piers form part of the bridge’s original construction and are recognised as significant elements under the heritage overlay that applies to the site.

Once advice is received from the specialist bridge engineers, Council will open the project to tender. The tender will cover detailed design and construction. Further geotechnical investigations may be undertaken before the tender process opens, if recommended by the engineers.

When a contractor is appointed, a construction timeline will be developed and communicated to the community.

Council previously advised that the concept design was expected to be completed by September, however the design process has taken longer than anticipated. This is due to the availability of specialist bridge engineers and the time required to complete detailed technical assessments, particularly given the bridge’s heritage significance and structural complexity.

The Pollocksford Road Bridge is subject to a heritage overlay due to its historical significance as one of the earliest bridges constructed over the Barwon River. The four original bluestone piers and capped bluestone abutments are the bridge’s key heritage elements. The bridge deck surface and guardrails are not considered heritage significant.

We continue to work with structural engineers on the concept designs to repair the bridge. Currently the design engineers are conducting lead paint testing, a feature survey and services investigations to assist the design scope of the bridge deck repairs. We expect to receive these designs by mid-September and will tender for a contractor to deliver the detailed design and construction.

Once we award the contract, we will collaborate with the contractor to set a timeline for the works, which we will share with the community.

Both Surf Coast Shire and Golden Plains Shire have approved budget for the bridge deck replacement.

We understand the extended delays repairing the bridge are inconvenient and we thank you for your patience.

Council officers are working with structural engineers to replace the deck of the bridge. These works will restore the bridge to its original purpose, so a load limit of 17 tonne will still be in place after the bridge deck has been replaced. This will allow busses and cars towing horse trailers to use the bridge again.

Large trucks will still not be allowed to use the bridge. Options are being developed to stop these trucks from using the bridge.

Once the designs are complete and a contractor has been appointed, we will share timelines for the replacement of the deck.

We understand the bridge's extended closure has been an inconvenience for locals and we thank you for your continued patience as we worked through options.

Renewal of council assets

To plan the renewal of Council’s assets, condition audits are undertaken on a three yearly cycle to assess the condition of each asset. Council plans to renew assets at a point in their life where they are approaching, but have yet to reach, the end of their functional life. This is so that Council can get the maximum life and value from an asset but still replace it before it fails.

As the asset continues to age towards failure, this may result in increased maintenance effort to keep the asset safe for public use, however, Council will aim to continue to keep an asset functional and open unless it is felt there is a risk to the public. This only occurs rarely, however, is the current situation that has led to the closure of the Pollocksford Road bridge.

It is expected that the duration of works will be approximately 6 months from commencement date. The duration will be confirmed and shared with community following advice from the contractor engaged to deliver the works.

Signage is being installed at the intersection of Pollocksford Road and Hamilton Highway, Stonehaven, and Pollocksford Road and Barrabool Road, Gnawarre, to show the bridge is closed and local traffic only along Pollocksford Road.

The Pollocksford Road bridge has been closed until repairs can be made to the bridge structure. Detours are in place along Merrawarp Road.

Despite a three tonne load limit and speed restriction of 10 km/h being put in place, heavy vehicles continued to use the bridge putting the structure at risk.

McHarrys have implemented a new school bus route to around the closed bridge. All families along Pollocksford Road have been notified.

Council officers continue to work with structural engineers on next steps. Once repair timelines are known they will be communicated to all residents.

Engineers conducted a structural assessment of Pollocksford Road bridge on Monday 18 March 2024 and found structural issues identified in a previous inspection had deteriorated more quickly than expected and was impacting the integrity of the bridge deck.

A speed restriction on 10km/h and three-tonne load limit has been implemented.