City of Newcastle is moving forward with the next stage of its $20.7 million commitment to reduce the risk of flooding in the Wallsend CBD.
Councillors last night unanimously awarded the contract to replace the Boscawen Street Bridge to Quickway Constructions Pty Ltd, which is one of the key elements of the Ironbark Creek Flood Mitigation Plan.
Quickway has constructed roads and bridges for some of the largest infrastructure projects in NSW and Australia in recent years including the M4, the M5, the Ballina Bypass and the Pacific Highway upgrade between Woolgoolga and Ballina.
Construction is expected to begin mid-year on the $5 million project, which will increase the height of the bridge deck and double its span up to 24 metres to accommodate Hunter Water’s future widening of the stormwater channel it owns.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the bridge replacement is another important milestone to reduce the impact of flooding during major rain events and allow the town centre to thrive.
“We’re committed to upgrading the stormwater infrastructure in Wallsend to help alleviate the pressure from the Ironbark Creek channel and reduce the risk of flooding in the CBD,” Cr Nelmes said.
“We’ve already delivered significant upgrades through the construction of the $3.3 million Tyrrell Street bridge, which replaced the original 1930 bridge.
“This will be augmented by the replacement of both the Boscawen and Nelson Street bridges, as well as planned stormwater improvement upgrades at Cowper Street Bridge, which are critical to ensure we properly address the issue of flooding in Wallsend.
“While City of Newcastle is committed to investing over $20 million into these projects, we will also continue to advocate to the NSW and Commonwealth governments to assist the delivery of the full Ironbark Creek Flood Mitigation Plan in the most timely manner.”
Flood modelling which has been seen and supported by Hunter Water shows that the only way to significantly reduce the likelihood of flooding in the Wallsend CBD is through the widening of the stormwater channel, which is owned by Hunter Water on behalf of the NSW Government.
The benefits of the new Boscawen Street Bridge will extend beyond flood mitigation measures, delivering a safer and more visually attractive link in the road network between Federal Park and the CBD, as well as enhanced connectivity for cyclists and pedestrians via a new shared pathway.
It will also pave the way for City of Newcastle’s planned program of traffic improvements and amenity upgrades to the Wallsend town centre, which will support businesses and residents in this growing western suburb.