The demolition of the Kemp Street Bridge marks the start of Inland Rail works in Junee. Photo: Supplied.
Inland Rail works in the heart of the Riverina are finally underway, with the destruction of the Kemp Street Bridge in Junee marking the beginning of 18 months of work.
The bridge was demolished on Friday 11 September, with track possession works following soon after.
The bridge will be reconstructed by Inland Rail, the Federal Government body building the controversial 1600 km freight train route between Melbourne and Brisbane via the Riverina.
More than 230 workers will rebuild the bridge over the next year and a half, with contractors Martinus Rail completing the majority of the rail construction.
The duration of the construction has been a major point of contention, with several local businesses voicing their disapproval.
Owner of the Junee Hotel, Emma Reynolds expressed her confusion as to why the works needed to take so long, stating that if the bridge were in Sydney, it would have only taken a fraction of the time.
“If the bridge were in Sydney, it would be done immediately and not take 18 months. Because we’re out here, small businesses and residents have to suffer,” she said.
“Council wants customers and residents to park along Gaba Tepe Avenue instead, which doesn’t have lighting or pedestrian walkways.
“It’s already a tight street, but if you have mobility issues or are elderly, it’s a massive safety hazard. A lot of parks where they want our patrons to turn to are taken up by council staff and depot workers from the other side of the road.
“Where are people supposed to park if the street is already taken up?”
Inland Rail’s Delivery Director for Albury to Parkes, James Kennedy, said he was aware of the disruption the works would cause over the next year and a half and thanked the local community for their understanding and patience.
“The highly technical and delicate demolition of the 80-year-old Kemp Street Bridge in Junee is a significant construction achievement, and we hope the community enjoys the benefits of the new bridge design.
“I’d like to commend everyone involved in the planning and safe execution of this possession. We also extend our thanks to the local communities for their patience and understanding while these important construction activities were underway.”
To demolish the bridge, Martinus Rail removed concrete between spans and cut the steel structure, allowing the deck to be craned out in sections and lowered for removal. Teams worked around the clock to successfully remove six spans and five trestles of the bridge, involving about 100 tonnes of steel and 375 tonnes of concrete.
Martinus Rail CEO and founder, Treaven Martinus, said he was confident in his team’s ability to produce high-quality works as part of the Inland Rail redevelopments and the recent works gave Martinus Rail momentum.
“Our people once again showed what can be achieved when expertise, preparation and teamwork come together,” he said.
“Successfully delivering these critical works under possession highlights the capability of our teams and partners, and gives us real momentum as we move into the next phase of Inland Rail.”
