A demolition crew has been taking down the existing old single lane structure this week.

Member for Northern Tablelands, Adam Marshall, watched the work and said:  “This old bridge was an endless source of trouble for local residents and businesses, presenting a frustrating bottleneck for around 6,500 vehicle movements each year.”

He said the bridge was troublesome because it was on a corner and used by heavy vehicles carrying cattle and feed to the Rangers Valley Feedlot.

Cars could meet big trucks at short notice because of the configuration, a dangerous situation in winter fog.

Building a new two-lane span would start very soon.  Mr Marshall said:  “This new bridge will be 7.2 metres wide, almost 70 per cent larger than the old span, which will make life easier for residents of Rangers Valley Road and the growing feedlot.”

The demolition and replacement costs $480,000 project, with $250,000 coming from the NSW government and the rest ($230,000) coming from Glen Innes Severn Council.

“The Rangers Valley Feedlot is currently the sixth largest feedlot in Australia and has approval to take on significantly more cattle,” Mr Marshall said.

“This upgrade will ensure that the road network can expand with local enterprise – allowing growth of the Glen Innes Severn economy without headaches for nearby residents.”

Glen Innes Severn Mayor Steve Toms said the new bridge would significantly improve traffic flow on the 14 kilometre Rangers Valley Road.

“That road is a key road to service the feedlot, and council has progressively been upgrading that road for some time,” Cr Toms said.

“The bridge was narrow and was one of the pinch points on the road. It’s great to have the assistance from the NSW Government, which supports the economic potential of the Rangers Valley Feedlot and locals.”