The team celebrated the completion of the Seymour-Avenel Rd Bridge replacement by taking a satisfying walk across the structure.
Photo by
Billie Davern
The opening of Seymour-Avenel Rd Bridge means that the conclusion of Tranche 1 of Inland Rail’s Beveridge to Albury (B2A) project is nearing.
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As works are beginning to wrap up on major sites across the state, a brief time of reflection is awarded to those involved before Tranche 2 starts.
On Tuesday, April 15, key players involved in the replacement of the Seymour-Avenel Rd Bridge walked across the new and improved structure.
Inland Rail B2A manager of stakeholder engagement and communications Justene Cowie said the walk was a satisfying one.
“It’s so exciting to have the opportunity to walk across the bridge today before it opens to the public this afternoon,” Ms Cowie said.
“It’s just wonderful to see this modern, new infrastructure in one of our regional towns.”
Justene Cowie, Russell Hamilton, Andrew Burke and Joel Allan were thrilled to be some of the first to walk across the new bridge.
Photo by
Billie Davern
On Tranche 1, Inland Rail partnered with construction company McConnell Dowell to deliver the first instalments of B2A.
McConnell Dowell project director Joel Allan shared a similar view to Ms Cowie on the completion of the bridge.
“It’s a bit surreal,” Mr Allan said.
“Our project team have done an excellent job, working not just with Inland Rail as a stakeholder, but with V/Line and Mitchell Shire Council.
“They’ve all been excellent, and I think our relationship with those stakeholders has helped us get to where we are now.
“The local community has been very supportive as well.”
The project involved the replacement of the previous structure across the rail corridor with a new bridge 3.2 metres higher, and 35 metres long.
The bridge now allows the passage of double-stacked freight trains on the lines below.
One thousand six hundred and forty-one people have been employed to work on Tranche 1 of the Inland Rail project, 1578 of whom are local to the project sites.
These stats include 59 First Nations people and 124 women employed.
Three hundred and forty-six local businesses supplied to the project, with a total spend of $161.3 million from those businesses, and 10 of those were First Nations-owned.
The previous bridge was 3.2 metres lower than the new structure.
Photo by
Contributed
The updated Seymour-Avenel Rd Bridge was opened to the public on April 15.
Photo by
Contributed
With Tranche 2 starting this year, employment and supplying opportunities are anticipated to grow.
Seymour and Tallarook residents can expect this next phase to involve the lowering of tracks below the Hume Fwy bridges.
The latest designs for these sites are expected to be brought to the public in the coming weeks.
Ms Cowie said the patience of the community during the delivery of Tranche 1 had been exceptional.
“We’re very thankful to the community for their patience during the building of the new bridge,” Ms Cowie said.
“It’s taken just over a year and we acknowledge that it was a disruption on people’s lives.
“We’re really thankful for their patience, and hopefully when they drive over the bridge they’ll see where all that hard work has gone.”
The final site to be completed on Tranche 1 is the modification of the Wangaratta Station precinct.
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