Councils around Australia have been given the green light for vital bridge projects, with Round Two of the Federal Government's Bridges Renewal Programme delivering $100 million in funding for 164 bridges.
In Queensland, Isaac Regional Council’s Cherwell Creek Bridge Renewal project secured the maximum funding allocation, receiving 50% of its $5.5 million price tag. 
The $2.75 million windfall is the highest funding allocation in Queensland for Round Two, and will see the existing narrow, low-level bridge completely replaced.
Isaac Regional Council CEO Rod Ferguson says the new bridge will deliver a drastically improved level of service in terms of driver safety, heavy vehicle productivity and flood resilience.
“The $5.5 million project will greatly improve road freight efficiency including an increased speed limit back to 100km/h, and deliver long term benefits for local road users including safer driving conditions,” Ferguson says.
Once complete, the project will see the bridge’s load capacity increased from 44 tonne to 80 tonne, with the ability to handle oversize and over-mass heavy vehicles of 320 tonnes.
This ability to accommodate heavy vehicles will provide benefits for the area’s extensive mining sector – on June 2014, the Isaac local government area was host to 25 operating coal mines, with a further two under construction and 27 in advanced development phase.
The existing bridge is built only to a one in two year flood event level, and is frequently inundated. The new bridge has been designed for a one in 100 year flood event, with the deck level to be raised 7m above the old one.
The bridge will also be made wider, preventing damage caused by heavy vehicles.
In a statement, Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss recognised the ever-present financial pressures local governments face.
“We understand that local government has responsibility for thousands of local bridges, many of which are in a poor state of repair,” Truss says. “Some councils face critical bridge issues beyond their capacity to address.
“By upgrading these bridges, residents will enjoy better, safer and more reliable road access. Freight from farms and local factories will also be able to pass more safely along quicker routes, improving their productivity.”
The Programme received 270 applications seeking about $220 million in funding.
Image: The existing Cherwell Creek Bridge.