Immediate restrictions have been placed on Gnarwarre’s Pollocksford Road Bridge to ensure it can continue to be used safely.
A three-tonne load limit and 10km/h speed limit are now in place following a March 18 structural that found issues from a previous inspection had deteriorated more quickly than expected.
Surf Coast Shire Council placemaking and environment general manager Chris Pike said the structural issues identified were impacting the integrity of the bridge deck.
“Safety is obviously our top priority, so we’ve put these restrictions in place to protect road users while we plan the next steps,” he said.
“We have been working with structural engineers to develop permanent solutions but don’t have the time to wait for this process to run its course.
“Local businesses that are known to use this bridge are being contacted, and McHarrys are working on alternative arrangements for school buses for term two.
“We’ll be monitoring compliance with the new limits, with our next step being a full closure if we find that road users don’t comply with this safety-first approach.”
Pollocksford Road Bridge is located on the Surf Coast Shire and Golden Plains Shire boundary, with the two councils working closely on options to improve the bridge.
Updates will be provided to the public as new information becomes available. Visit surfcoast.vic.gov.au/PRBridge for more information.
