Kaurala bridge upgrade

Kaurala Bridge is located approximately 15km west of Guyra along Old Armidale Road. Council has aquired over $1.5 million from the New South Wales's Fixing Country Bridges program to upgrade Kaurala birdge and improve safety for all drivers along Old Armidale Road.

The construction of a bridge involves several critical phases to ensure a successful and efficient process. It begins with preliminary investigations, including initial surveys, geotechnical reports, environmental factor reviews (REF), and hydrology studies. This is followed by the preliminary design stage, where various bridge options are evaluated through cost-benefit analysis, and conceptual designs are developed. Next, permits and approvals are obtained, such as DPI fisheries permits, Aboriginal heritage impact permits, and landowner consents. Once these are in place, the detailed design phase produces comprehensive reports and "Issue for Construction" (IFC) drawings.

The project then moves to tendering, with council reports and tender awards finalizing the contractor selection. Key contractual obligations are addressed, including contract signing, securing bank guarantees, insurance, and preparing management plans. With these formalities complete, site possession and establishment mark the start of on-ground activities, which include implementing management plans for workplace health and safety (WHS), environmental considerations (CEMP), erosion and sediment control, quality assurance, and traffic management.

Construction begins with the demolition of the existing timber bridge and the creation of temporary accesses and piling pads. In particular circumstances, the project team may make the decison to streghten the exising bridge and provide temporary accesses while the new bridge is constructed. The structural process includes piling, forming, reinforcing, and pouring abutments, wingwalls, piers, and headstocks, followed by installing precast prestressed concrete girders and constructing the bridge deck. Final steps include installing guard rails, constructing access slabs and roads, placing signage and line marking, conducting a work-as-executed survey, and finally, dis-establishing the site. Each phase is meticulously planned and executed to ensure the bridge meets safety, quality, and functional standards.