Now, a local politician is calling on the Victorian Government to make much-needed upgrades.
State Member for Northern Victoria Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell has made an urgent appeal to the government to upgrade the bridge crossing the Waranga Basin Western Channel on Rushworth-Tatura Rd.
In a parliamentary meeting on Wednesday, June 19, Mrs Tyrrell addressed Roads and Road Safety Minister Melissa Horne, pressing the need to upgrade or replace the bridge.
“The bridge crossing the Western Channel on the Rushworth-Tatura Rd carries cars, trucks, school buses and even bicycles every day, and drivers are forced to navigate oncoming traffic on the single-lane carriageway,” Mrs Tyrrell said.
The speed limit has been reduced to 30km/h; however, Mrs Tyrrell argued that the safety issues remain unresolved.
This single-lane bridge was the site of a tragic fatality in 2023.
An elderly driver approached the single-lane bridge and swerved into the right lane to avoid a rear-end collision with a stationary vehicle in front of the bridge.
The driver and a motorcyclist who had passed over the bridge from the other side of the basin collided, resulting in the death of the motorcyclist.
Mrs Tyrrell highlighted that limited visibility when there was fog or heavy rainfall and the design of the approach roads further compounded the risk.
“My constituents have contacted me with their concerns about the safety of the bridge, including a broken road surface and flimsy guard rails, and Labor needs to hear these concerns,” she said.
Mrs Tyrrell urged Ms Horne to “consult the local community” to find solutions to make the bridge safe for everyone who used it.
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