06 September 2014

Strengthening work on the Hollywood Bailey bridge is about to commence.

The original bridge, a vital connection for the residents of Bushy Knoll, was built in 1957 and was one of eight bridges lost during the devastating Cyclone Gabrielle.

A temporary low-level crossing was installed late in March 2023, to provide immediate relief to the isolated community. However, this solution was prone to flooding and only suitable for light vehicles.

The Hollywood Bailey bridge which opened in October 2023, provides a weather-resistant connection to the residents says Tim Barry, Director Community Lifelines.

“As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle and subsequent rain events there were 139 bridges and large culvert structures either damaged or destroyed, impacting the 420 vital bridge and culvert assets managed by Council.

“Strengthening the Hollywood Bailey Bridge is another step forward in our commitment to providing safe and reliable infrastructure for our residents.

“A bailey bridge is often considered a temporary solution. We’ve run a comprehensive analysis of the feasibility and challenges linked to adopting the Bailey Bridge as a permanent solution and it makes sense.

“The Hollywood bailey bridge was designed and constructed to a height of 2m above the height of the old bridge and offers improved flood and earthquake resilience compared to the previous bridge.

“While a new permanent bridge would offer some improvements such as lifting speed restrictions, extending the life of the bailey bridge offers a cost-effective solution at a time where budget management is critical to ensure we can repair as many of our damaged assets as possible.

To ensure the longevity and durability of this critical infrastructure, Council has engaged Universal Engineering to perform specialised strengthening works to the Bailey bridge. These enhancements are designed to extend the bridge’s service life to 50 years, representing a cost-efficient and longer-term solution for the community.

The scheduled works include steel reinforcement, grouting, and the application of new protective coatings. Weather dependent, the works are expected to take around 8 weeks to complete. Closure of the bridge is not required, however Council does ask residents and bridge users to be mindful of workers at the site.

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