The Challenge

A historic timber bridge in a rural part of New South Wales in Australia was in need of an upgrade. Originally built using a ‘Dare’ truss design, the Briner Bridge, dating back to 1908, provides a vital transport link across the Coldstream River between Ulmarra and Tucabia and areas further to the east.The structure was to be upgraded in a heritage sympathetic manner, including new timber trusses with concrete abutments and steel piers to enable strengthening.To keep traffic moving and ensure that the local residents remained connected whilst the heritage bridge was upgraded, the customer, Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW), needed to provide a temporary access route across the river.

TfNSW holds a large amount of Compact 200™ (C200™) stock, having worked with Mabey for many years on multiple projects and training programmes, so they were able to select and deploy a suitable structure from their inventory of bridges.

The Solution

A 16 bay, 48.788m long, 4.2m wide, TSHR3H C200™ was chosen for this scheme. Site Advisor, Steve Morgan, was on hand to assist with the launch and provide on-site practical advice. The installation timeframe was tight due to ensuring connectivity for the surrounding community was not impacted by the commencement of the heritage timber truss removal process. This was complicated by a moderate flood experienced in the Coldstream River. The build was completed within five days, just before the high water was predicted to arrive and when it did, the route remained unaffected with the water level rising to a safe distance below the constructed C200™.

The Result

The erection of a modular bridge has enabled the project – to widen and increase the load capacity of the Briner Bridge – to start. The project, which is funded through the NSW Government’s Bridges for the Bush program, remains on course for completion in December 2020. Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Roads and Infrastructure, Chris Gulaptis, said “The historic bridge has strong associations with the growth in the road network and boom in economic activity in the region during the early 1900s. It is an important local structure, which is why the NSW Government is investing in works that will keep it in good condition for generations to come while preserving its character and heritage significance.”

The C200™ has kept the local community connected to the main roads throughout the upgrade process and it is expected to remain in place until the new bridge is open for business.