The scene of the truck crash at Wallendbeen. Photo: Supplied.
A controversial temporary one lane bridge on a major South West Slopes thoroughfare has been closed indefinitely after a truck crash early Sunday morning (15 December).
The incident, which occurred around 6:15 am on Sunday at a road-over-railway bridge at Wallendbeen on Burley Griffin Way, caused a significant diesel spill.
This prompted an extensive cleanup operation involving fire and rescue crews from Cootamundra, Harden, Wagga and Wallendbeen Rural Fire Service.
NSW Ambulance, NSW Police and Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) representatives also attended the scene.
The crash caused significant damage to the structure and further inspections yesterday by ARTC, UGL and Transport for NSW engineers deemed the bridge unsafe for all vehicles.
Located on a key freight and transport route linking the Hume Highway to the Olympic and Newell highways, the closure has also reignited frustration among local residents and farmers, who have faced four consecutive harvests impacted by detours and disruptions.
The temporary single-lane structure was installed in October 2021 as an emergency measure after severe wet weather in March of that year damaged the century-old, narrow railway bridge forcing its demolition.
Work on a new bridge – designed to accommodate larger vehicles and improve traffic flow in the region – is underway and was set to be completed by early 2025.
State Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke has long criticized the delays in constructing a permanent replacement.
“For nearly four years, I have repeatedly raised concerns about this issue, including warnings about the heightened risk of accidents, especially during this time of year,” she said.
“But those who are entitled to be the most frustrated are the community of Wallendbeen and our local farmers, who are having to live with and endure these conditions every single day. It simply isn’t good enough,” Ms Cooke added, “this is the fourth harvest, already delayed this year because of inclement weather, farmers and heavy vehicle operators have had to endure the challenges presented by the temporary bridge.”
Ms Cooke said the Wallendbeen community and road users from across NSW deserved better.
“I’m calling on the NSW Government to deliver a new bridge now,” Ms Cooke said.
The following detours are in place until further notice:
- Light vehicles: Divert via Olympic Highway and Silo Road.
- Heavy vehicles: Divert via Cootamundra between Wallendbeen and Stockinbingal.
Further inspections are scheduled for today, Monday, 16 December.
Inspectors will reassess the temporary bridge to determine if it can be repaired or if a full replacement is necessary.
Meanwhile, investigations into the cause of the truck crash are ongoing, and the condition of the driver and any passengers remains unknown.
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