Part of that money will pay for what Mayor Geoff Kettle freely admits is a “stuff up.”

“As the general manager has said, it was a basic schoolboy error that should never have happened,” he said.

“So it’s disturbing that we have to find the extra money when, if the proper surveys had been done in the first place, it would not be necessary.”

Council discovered last August the planned $2.6 million structure covered part of an Aboriginal land claim.

Since then, general manager Warwick Bennett and engineers have found a way to contain the new bridge mostly to the road reserve. This way it would not impact on the land claim.

But it comes at a cost, with extra battering and engineering required.

Mr Bennett, though apologising for the mistake (which occurred before his appointment), talked up the solution as a chance to achieve a better bridge for the community.

Part of the extra $400,000 will be used to lift the bridge a further metre to three metres above the Shoalhaven River and straighten approach curves.

“It was a cock up and we’ll have to find the money,” Cr Kettle said.

“It shouldn’t have had to be spent but we’ll come out of it with a better two-lane concrete solution.”

A total $500,000 has been allocated from Council’s unrestricted cash reserves. But Mr Bennett told the most recent meeting he expected it to be closer to $400,000.

Newcastle-based firm CivilBuild was ready to start work on the replacement last August when the land claim oversight was discovered.

Now they will begin in mid January, aiming for a mid-year completion. Travellers will be in for an easier ride with Council last week also completing the final 1km seal of Oallen Ford Rd.

The State Government granted $2.2 million for the bridge, which Cr Kettle described as a “windfall.”

Prior, Council had been gradually allocating funds for the structure’s replacement and joining Palerang and Shoalhaven Councils in grant applications.

The $500,000 will deplete Council’s bridge reserve fund, which stood at $814,000 in June.

Cr Kettle acknowledged bridge works would have to be re-prioritised in light of the Oallen Ford allocation.

Councillors last April decided Kippilaw Bridge’s replacement should be next, using the $814,000.

Other structures on the waiting list included Spa Rd, Carrick Rd, Thornford Rd, Henry Parkes Rd and Mayfield Rd Bridge across Boro Creek.

But they have freed up funds for other projects.

At the most recent meeting, councillors approved an extra $1,958, 508 from this year’s budget.

The works are:

* $500,000 for Oallen Ford bridge’s replacement;

* $410,500 this financial year for St Clair renovations;

* $500,000 for an adventure playground at Victoria Park, matching a government grant;

* $400,000 for CBD enhancement works; and

* $9910 for a bus shelter in Sloane St.