NO HELP FROM ABOVE

VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE

The view is looking decidedly dim, as we can now confirm that there is no help coming from the State Government. In a letter received on Friday 19 March, the Transport Minister David Campbell confirmed to TD8 that he has chosen to completely abandon Marlee and Duffs Bridges on Bulga Rd, despite our case, put strongly to him in a meeting last December, that this tourist drive to Ellenborough Falls is an important economic, social and cultural link between two regions.

His letter erroneously claims that our council receives State funding through "the Timber Bridges Replacement Program for bridges on regional roads". In fact, Greater Taree is not eligible for that program because none of our many ailing timber bridges are on regional roads; they are all on local roads which don't normally qualify for State assistance. That is why we approached the Minister in the first place seeking special assistance.

Bulga Rd used to be "Regional Rd 109" until it was declassified in 1995, leaving it totally a Council responsibility, complete with two large timber bridges nearing their use-by dates, namely Marlee and Duffs. In the most recent NSW Road Classification Review, the Panel refused Council's request to reinstate Bulga Rd as a regional road as it was not considered important enough. Mr Campbell has reconfirmed this position in his letter.

Meanwhile, our Council were rejected by the Federal Government Defence Minister Senator John Faulkner in their request to borrow two of the nineteen surplus army bridges that are no longer needed by the Defence Force. It seems Council are now reluctant to fall back on any other temporary bridge option, and are hoping the community will make do with the 8 tonne Marlee Bridge until the permanent bridges are built.

TD8 have made it clear to Council that this is not what was resolved at the November 18 Council meeting, when Councillors agreed to borrow up to $1m for temporary solutions that would quickly restore the previous 25 tonne capacity. The current 8 tonnes still excludes many vehicles that are important for businesses, farmers and residents. However, a compromise between 8 tonnes and 25 tonnes could perhaps be negotiated.

Accordingly, we are inviting contact from anyone in the community who requires access for vehicles above 8 tonnes and is not content to use the detour for another 18 months to 2 years. Please contact td8actiongroup@gmail.com or phone 6550 4466 or 6550 5164. You should also make your needs known directly to Council's Executive Leader Asset Management, Mr Ron Posselt, 6592 5399.

BULGA ROAD CLOSURE – MARLEE BRIDGE

Greater Taree City Council wishes to advise that its contractor (NSW RTA) has the opportunity to finalise repairs to Marlee bridge that permitted the raising of the weight restrictions from 2 tonnes to 8 tonnes during December last year.
To undertake the programmed works a total road closure of Bulga Road at the Marlee Bridge is necessary on Tuesday 23 March and Thursday 25 March 2010, weather permitting.
It will be necessary for all vehicles to use the heavy vehicle detour as signposted during the period of closure.
Additional signs will be placed advising all motorists of the upcoming closure.
These programmed works are to finalise strengthening work that commenced prior to Christmas 2009 and will not increase the weight restrictions for general traffic above the current 8 tonne limit.
Access will be available to each bridge approach during the closure.
All enquiries regarding the works can be directed to Council’s Works Engineer or the Construction Field Co-ordinator on 6592 5199.

How to contact the PM

In the wake of last week's news reports on scandalous Defence Force extragavances, our mayor Paul Hogan is calling on the community to request the Prime Minister to allow civilian use of surplus Army bridges in locations of dire need, beginning with Marlee and Duffs Bridges on Tourist Drive 8 to Ellenborough Falls.

Greater Taree City Council made a formal application to the Minister for Defence, Senator John Faulkner, for the use of two bridges out of the nineteen they learned were sitting unused in storage. Their application has received a negative reply from Senator Faulkner via Rob Oakeshott.

We suggested in the last posting that you all write to Senator Faulkner, but if you want to also email the PM, Kevin Rudd, you can go to the website:

www.pm.gov.au/PM_Connect/Email_your_PM

Are November's resolutions still good for the new year?

TD8 and GTCC had their first meeting of 2010, on 17 Feb. The good news is, the mayor has confirmed that in addition to the $1m of borrowings approved last November, Council is prepared to dedicate their entire annual bridge budget of $1.3m for the next two years (that's $2.6m) towards building two permanent bridges (estimated to cost $4.6m) to replace Marlee and Duffs Bridges. We are all still waiting for a reply from the Hon David Campbell, Minister for Transport, to GTCC's request for $2m in assistance, so if you haven't emailed him, it's still worth doing: david@campbell.minister.nsw.gov.au

You may have been wondering what's happening with the temporary bridges that Council promised us as a matter of urgency. We had investigated some costs and options ourselves - like the Gloucester bridge and the Unibridge - but then at a meeting in mid November, Council staff began to research and consider a new option: the Army bridge. This involved making a formal application to the Minister for Defence (Senator John Faulkner), under their "Defence Assistance to the Civil Community" policy, requesting that he authorise the lending or hiring out of two army bridges to GTCC. Council's engineers had learned that the Defence Department had some 19 bridges currently in storage that are now "surplus to requirement" because the design has now been superseded.

The bad news is, Senator Faulkner has declined to assist. Rob Oakeshott took the Council's submission to him personally in December, and Rob has assured us he will still continue to pursue this. TD8 also sent an email in February urging him to help us. Council had asked us not to publicise their quest for Army bridges, until a reply had been received. Now that it has, if you feel strongly that it is morally indefensible for a public department to sit on a glut of unused surplus resources while the public, whose taxes paid for these resources, so desperately needs them elsewhere, then do send an email to Senator the Hon John Faulkner: Defence.Minister@defence.gov.au

Meanwhile, although we now have 8t instead of 2t on Marlee Bridge, many vehicles, including Col and Carmel's milk tanker, are still excluded and have to use the detour. Time has been wasted with hopes pinned on an option that is evaporating, and any temporary bridge is going to take yet more time. Given that the recent repairs to Marlee Bridge proved to be quick, cost-effective, and made a significant improvement, we are asking Council to consider carrying out further repairs, ASAP, on both bridges, to the extent that they could provide satisfactory temporary access while the permanent bridges are fast-tracked. We have requested time frames and details of proposed temporary and permanent solutions, in writing, from Council, and will pass these on as soon as they are provided.