Bridge support heightens

IT’S time to get on with building the long-awaited Bridgewater Bridge and put an end to the upper River Derwent being cut off from river traffic, says the Derwent Valley mayor.

The Mercury revealed yesterday the State Growth Department had lodged plans with the Brighton and Glenorchy councils to demolish several houses to clear the way for the new Bridgewater Bridge, but Glenorchy Mayor Kristie Johnston expressed grave concerns about moving forward with the $576 million project.

The State Government is reviewing its business case amid concerns from Infrastructure Australia and the Federal Government that the cost will outweigh the benefits.

Derwent Valley Mayor Ben Shaw said the benefits that would flow on to his region and other communities was huge: “Brighton is one of the fastest-growing communities in the state, and the Derwent Valley is tipped to be rivalling Brighton with a recent announcement of a $500 million housing and commercial development proposal being discussed and applications close to being lodged,” he said.

“There is serious concern calls to change the scope of the bridge mean that it will reduce the height of the bridge — this is simply not acceptable for the upper Derwent river regions.

“We have been cut off for years now for river traffic, and any benefit that river visitors may bring to the Derwent regions, because we can’t adequately or consistently lift the current bridge.

“Any height limit on the new bridge needs to be similar or at least at a minimum the same as the Bowen Bridge.

“This can also shore up a potential future river ferry servicing the upper Derwent region.” Cr Shaw said he was concerned other mayors were trying to divert the bridge funding to other projects in their municipality.

“I find it bizarre that mayors of the Hobart City Deal who previously happily stood for photos and accepted this deal and everything that was in it, now want to renege on what we all backed as a region,” he said.

Brighton Mayor Tony Foster said his council had already approved the demolition of one dwelling and there were three more pending that would enable the new road alignment.

“We’ve also approved the drilling of bore holes on the river foreshore as part of the bridge geotechnical investigation, as well as the erection of two survey towers,” he said.

“Additional development applications are expected over the coming months as the project moves forward.”