New Dubbo Bridge

Scope of Works

The scope of work includes:

• Construction of a new 660m, dual lane, 20-span, high-level bridge over the Macquarie River connecting the western side of the Macquarie River to River Street.
• Construction of 2.2km of new (Newell) highway and intersection upgrades between the Thompson Street - Whylandra Street intersection and the River Street - Bourke Street intersection, including intersections and adjoining roads.
• Construction of retaining wall structures along sections of River Street.  
• Removal of access from Darling Street into River Street and adjustments to the Brisbane Street and River Street intersection.
• Relocation and adjustments of utilities, services, drainage and streetlights.

Collaborating to minimise community impact

The construction of the new 660 metre high-level Dubbo Bridge is highly complex and requires close collaboration with key stakeholder groups to mitigate the impact on the local community and road users.

The piling process is complex, with 89 piles, required both on land and in the river to support the bridge. The project team is engaging with the community to address their concerns about noise and vibration.   

Meticulous planning has also been needed to coordinate the journey to move thousands of tonnes of concrete girders from Newcastle to Dubbo to support the new Dubbo Bridge.

Several utility upgrades and relocations will also be required are being done whilst during the undertaking works project to construct the new Dubbo Bridge. The project team are working closely with the utility providers to ensure this process is as efficient as possible to reduce the impact on the local community.  

A new high-level river crossing

The New Dubbo Bridge will bey the largest bridge in Central Western NSW, providing a high-level river crossing over the Macquarie River to improve travel efficiency and route reliability during flood events. The upgrade works on Newell Highway will reduce congestion for local and visiting commuters and provide better connections for freight moving through the Central West of NSW.

With a workforce of around 650 people with more than 55 percent of workers from the local area, this project is providing opportunities for locals and is engaging local businesses to supply various products and services.

The project has engaged 74 local businesses and 8 Aboriginal businesses since major construction started, and this remains a key focus as we continue to build the project. We are ahead of schedule in Aboriginal participation targets, exceeding our employment goals already spending $2 million on Aboriginal employment. Initiatives like workshops with local businesses and the importance of traineeships and apprenticeships, prequalification workshops for Aboriginal businesses and Sistas in Trade program have resulted in tangible employment outcomes.