Both bridges in planning

Divided community opinion over whether Horsham needs another pedestrian or vehicle bridge across the Wimmera River has prompted Horsham mayor Robyn Gulline to confirm both are part of overall city planning.

Cr Gulline said development of a Hamilton Street pedestrian bridge and another vehicle bridge in a location yet to be determined were different projects and ‘totally different conversations’.

Cr Gulline was responding to social commentary after Horsham Rural City Council voted to include a $2.1-million Hamilton Street pedestrian bridge in draft 2020-21 budget calculations.

“As a council we are working in collaboration with Regional Roads Victoria to develop an alternative truck route through Horsham. This will include another vehicle bridge across the river,” she said.

“These investigations are on another plan to the Hamilton Street bridge – they are not mutually exclusive and are totally different conversations. And the potential is that hopefully, in the long term and if we play our cards right, we can have both.”

The Horsham council voted in a split decision to include the Hamilton Street pedestrian bridge in the draft budget because, while having yet to formally resolve funding, the project was still ‘live’.

Councillors argued being in the draft allowed the community to have a formal say through a submissions process.

The Wimmera River bridge, which incorporates Western, Wimmera and Henty highway traffic, is the primary vehicle river crossing in Horsham. Other vehicle bridges are outside the city proper.

Horsham has a pedestrian bridge joining Southbank with Barnes Boulevard.