A contract has been awarded for the $20 million jointly funded planning project for the Sheahan Bridge Upgrade project on the Hume Highway at Gundagai in New South Wales.
WSP Australia Pty Ltd has been awarded the contract to progress with the next phase of the development to determine the design for the bridge’s upgrade or replacement.
The Sheahan Bridge Upgrade project is investigating upgrade requirements and improvement options to allow Performance Based Standards (PBS) vehicles to use the Hume Highway Corridor without restriction.
The concept designs will provide a development and environmental assessment of potential upgrade or replacement options for the northbound bridge over the Murrumbidgee River.
The Hume Highway connects Melbourne and Sydney and is one of Australia’s busiest road freight corridors. The current northbound bridge was built in 1977, with duplication of the southbound lanes officially opened to traffic in 2009.
While the load limit was increased from 68 to 85 tonnes in 2020 on the northbound bridge, for the safety of motorists Higher Productivity Vehicles still have to use a permit to travel on the New South Wales section of the Hume Highway due to the age of the bridge and structure limitations.
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These limitations on the northbound bridge also restrict opportunities for contraflow during emergency response or planned maintenance activities on the southbound bridge.
The upgrade planning project will investigate potential solution options including:
- building a replacement bridge on a new alignment upstream (east) or downstream (west) of the existing bridge
- replacing the existing bridge on its current alignment
- strengthening the existing bridge
It is expected the preferred option will be identified by Transport for NSW for public display in mid-2026.
Jenny Aitchison, Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, said, the Hume Highway is the oldest and busiest highway in Australia.
“Past governments have invested and delivered the crucial upgrades that have ensured freight, tourism and other road users can rely on this vital network,” she said.
“Instead of forcing HPVs to use permits, both governments are working together to deliver a fit for purpose bridge which will reduce red tape for HPV freight operators by enabling them to use this route without having to obtain permits.”
For more information, www.transport.nsw.gov.au/
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