It’s also emerged that the work won’t be completed until mid 2019.

The rise of $5.4m on the previous $13.2m estimate has astounded the council, which has vowed to seek an explanation from the Roads and Maritime Service. 

“It’s a significant increase to build a bridge of that type considering we built Oallen Ford bridge, which is longer, for $3.2m,” general manager Warick Bennett told Tuesday’s council meeting.

Speaking to The Post, Mr Bennett said the construction timeframe had also been “sneaking out” over the past year.

“Originally it was to be completed in 2018, then it was February, 2019, then moved to June, 2019. It’s my opinion this community deserves better,” he said.

“...I think the community has been extremely tolerant. Three years is a long time to have a bridge closed. It’s a long time to ask us to tolerate maintaining bypass roads but provided they can achieve the September 2019 deadline, I think the community will accept it. But I don’t think they’ll accept the closure, and I don’t blame them.”

Residents living south of the bridge have been forced to “go the long way around,” via the Forbes Street deviation or Brisbane Grove Road, since it was closed to traffic in June, 2016.

Mr Bennett questioned where the extra money would come from. However, the RMS confirmed the state government agreed this year to top up its portion to $15.35m, supplementing an already locked in $3.25m federal grant.

But there’s little insight into the reasons for the increase. A spokesman attributed it to design changes, particularly a new intersection between Bungonia Road and Forbes Street to the east of the bridge, which the council requested.

However this change was factored in last year when the RMS publicly touted the cost as $13.2m. The spokesman said $18.6m was always the “whole of project” cost and the former figure did not take account of “sunk investigation” and development considerations. He blamed internal processes for the differential and advice to the public.

Mr Bennett and Mayor Bob Kirk want far more clarity. They are awaiting appointment of a new RMS regional director and a meeting in coming weeks. 

An RMS spokesman said construction tenders would be called next month. Work on the new structure is expected to start in June. The two-lane 40-tonne load concrete bridge would have wider traffic lanes with shoulders, improved road approaches and a shared path for cyclists and pedestrians.

The spokesman said demolition began in November and final utility relocations undertaken in March and April. The existing bridge will be removed in May.

But Shaws Creek Road resident Bryan Webb says there’s been little progress.

“It’s crazy. They’ve spent so much time drilling holes (as part of geotechnical work) and doing nothing. They haven’t varied the plan,” he said of the cost increase.

Mr Webb said he worked interstate for a construction company 40 years ago and it would have built the bridge for less than half the price. He too pointed out that the council had built Oallen Ford Bridge, including two road approaches, for $3.2m.

“The amount of time it’s taken is ridiculous and it’s a terrible inconvenience for the people on Mountain Ash Road, Rosemont Road, at Gundary and those further out at Windellama and Nerriga. It is the main road to the South Coast and we are being treated like second class citizens with this rot,” he said.

Mr Webb said residents were further inconvenienced during heavy rain, such as during the February 25 storm when flooding cut access along Forbes Street, Brisbane Grove Road and the Blackshaw Road underpass. Residents could only use Hetherington Street and Rifle Range Road to get out.

”Taxpayers out here are being treated with contempt because of the inaction. First we put up with it in a decrepit state, then when they closed it there was no intention of replacing it straight away.

“The state government can find billions of dollars to build stadiums but country people can’t even get a bridge.”  

The RMS spokesman said once built, the new Lansdowne Bridge would be “a new asset with low maintenance costs handed over to Goulburn Mulwaree Council, fit for purpose for 100 years.”