The $13.2 million concrete structure, replacing the De Burgh truss timber bridge, will not be completed until March, 2019.

Council general manager Warwick Bennett says he and Mayor Bob Kirk will be delivering a blunt message on December 12 when they hope to meet with the Roads and Maritime Service.

“We will say quite clearly that another three years is unacceptable because there will be inevitable delays,” he told a recent Bungonia outreach meeting.

“We’re as frustrated as everybody else and we believe these road blocks are way, way beyond community expectation.”

The pair are also trying to arrange a meeting with Roads Minister, Duncan Gay. Cr Kirk he’d wanted to meet with Mr Gay for some time but attempts had been unsuccessful.

“So instead, we’ll meet with the RMS area manager because we need to push the program,” he said.

“The 2019 program is so excessive, especially given that we designed Oallen Ford bridge inside three months, including the road’s redesign. We built the bridge inside a year, all for $3 million.”

He contrasted this with Lansdowne Bridge’s replacement, costing $13.2m and the process drawn out over years.

In 2012 the RMS expected a 2015 completion date. However that was before several redesigns.

Cr Kirk said the council would be quite happy to take the $13.2m, do the work itself and use any remaining funds for “community benefit.”

In an earlier meeting, the Mayor and Mr Bennett asked the RMS to contribute to an estimated $900,000 to repair alternative routes damaged as a result of Lansdowne Bridge’s closure. They believed this to be reasonable given that RMS originally wanted to do temporary repairs to the bridge costing $1m, only to demolish it later.

“They wouldn’t entertain it. The roads are copping a pounding. We went back to them with a revised cost and they offered us $40,000. After we choked on our coffee, we said ‘you’ve got to be kidding.’”

The matter will be taken up again at the December 12 meeting.

Cr Kirk says the bridge closure is already inconveniencing too many people.

‘Council’s fault’

But Mr Gay has laid the blame squarely on the council. 

“I’m not too happy about the delay either but if they had accepted the 2015 design the bridge would be nearly finished,” he said.

That design, preferred by the RMS was valued at $9.6m and followed a 2014 design. Mr Gay’s office said it avoided impacts on historic Lansdowne Estate but the council rejected it due to the lack of a straight alignment. It had included a T-intersection at Forbes Street/Bungonia Road and was one-third shorter than the 2014 design.

The current one does not have a T-intersection, involves a new alignment and adds $3m to the price tag, including $1m in earthworks, Mr Gay’s office said.

The plan impacts on Lansdowne Park. The Office of Environment and Heritage have been examining the effects and recently advertised for public submissions on the plan, closing December 21. An outcome is expected in February/March, 2017. The revised design also involves some property acquisition of Lansdowne Park.

Mr Gay’s office said all of this had added time and money to the project.

But a council spokesman refuted the claims.

“This bridge replacement is totally run by RMS and they are the ones who have control over the project brief and the budget,” he said.

Now, detailed design is underway and approval programmed for April 2017. Demolition is expected in late 2017, with construction to start early 2018.

Mr Gay was hopeful of reducing the price and hastening the work through the tender process.

“There are some good opportunities out there to do so because we’re building a lot of bridges around the State,” he said.

Meantime, Boxers Creek Road resident Jacki Waugh is far from thrilled about the delay.

“By the time they do it, I’ll be dead,” she quipped.

Like many, she has to travel alternative routes, like Forbes Street, into Goulburn.

“This (the closure) will inconvenience everyone for a long time and other roads will be damaged in between,” she said.

“Brisbane Grove Road and Eastgrove are already deteriorating and Boxers Creek Road and Rosemont Road are getting increased traffic.”