Kin Kin residents are wondering what has happened to the replacement of Wahpunga Lane Bridge after years of announcements but no obvious change to the ageing timber bridge.
In his Kin Kin Kinections newsletter Nick Thompson has recalled the political announcements of the replacement of the timber bridge from federal and local governments over the past two years.
Nick said the announcements began in 2019 with Wide Bay MP Llew O’Brien saying $763,661 of federal money would fund a replacement precast concrete structure.
The Bridges Renewal Program construct would have “significant flow-on benefits for businesses and tourism as well as creating jobs during the construction process” Mr O’Brien said at the time.
In June 2019 Noosa Council announced $200,000 would be spent on the commencement of the bridge replacement.
Just over a year later in July 2020 the Wahpunga Lane Bridge was again raised by Council when it promised more than $2 million would be spent to replace it as well as Cooran’s Tablelands Road Bridge.
In January 2021 Council announced “preliminary site investigations” were about to take place with soil testing and surveying to be done in January and February.
And in April this year the Mayor announced the bridge was in the capital works budget for replacement at a cost of $1.6 million.
The bridge was also mentioned in the Senate during 2020 Estimates Hearings when it was listed under the Bridges Renewal Program round 4.
And the Queensland Government included it in the Queensland Transport and Roads Investment program for 2020/21 to 2023/24, noting both federal and local governments were contributing $764,000 toward the replacement cost.
“Kinnections advises you not to hold your breath for a June 30 ribbon cutting ceremony,” Nick said, and he’d be right.
The Kin Kin Wahpunga Lane Bridge Renewal is listed in Council’s Capital Works schedule noted in Monday’s Services and Organisation Committee meeting.
It’s original budget is set at almost $1.48 million but the current budget on the project is less than $35,000.
Council’s Infrastructure Planning, Design and Delivery Manager, Craig Eldridge said the Wahpunga Lane Bridge project was “a multi-year project which is currently undergoing tender assessment“.
“Council’s capital schedule has been adjusted to reflect the phasing of this project in alignment with the construction spending which will see the bulk of the funding spent in the 2021/22 financial year.“
