Wagga MP Dr Joe McGirr celebrates the outcome with Sally Manning from the Wagga Business Chamber and Sam Beresford from Committee for Wagga. Photo: Supplied.
The long-running push to ease congestion on Wagga’s main river crossing has reached a new milestone, with a community-backed petition calling for the duplication of Gobba Bridge set to be formally debated in NSW Parliament after attracting more than 10,000 signatures.
The petition – led by independent Member for Wagga Dr Joe McGirr and supported by the Committee for Wagga and the Wagga Wagga Business Chamber – has now passed the threshold required to trigger a parliamentary debate. Dr McGirr will table the petition this month ahead of upcoming sittings.
At the heart of the campaign is the call to duplicate Gobba Bridge, the city’s key Murrumbidgee River crossing and a known pinch point for traffic. As Wagga has grown, so too has pressure on the single crossing, with local advocates arguing the existing route is increasingly strained during peak travel times and is limiting the city’s long-term expansion.
That pressure has been further heightened by Inland Rail’s demolition of the Edward Street Bridge, which has funnelled additional traffic onto Gobba Bridge and intensified concerns about congestion and network resilience.
The duplication has been discussed locally for years as part of broader planning conversations about freight movement, emergency access and future population growth, with supporters saying early planning is essential given the scale and cost of such infrastructure.
Dr McGirr said the response to the petition had sent a powerful message to the government.
“To exceed our target in less than eight months shows the determination of people from within Wagga and surrounding towns to underwrite our future by building a bridge that will meet the needs of a fast-growing community,” he said.
“I’ve taken every opportunity to remind the government of the importance of this project and am looking forward to taking that message to the floor of the house when the petition is debated.
“This is a huge project that will take time to deliver but with more than 10,000 voices calling for change, we can continue to pressure the government to take the preliminary steps that will open the way for a future duplication.”
Wagga Business Chamber Business Manager Sally Manning said the business sector strongly supported this investment in the city’s future.
“Business owners hosted the petition and encouraged people to sign because they can see that we will need a new river crossing if we are to achieve our economic and social potential and firmly believe that the time to start planning for it is now,” she said.
The Gobba Bridge is now busier than ever. Photo: Chris Roe.
Committee for Wagga CEO Scott Sanbrook said the bridge duplication was identified as once of the city’s most important projects, which was reflected in the powerful response to the petition.
“This is a clear message from Wagga Wagga – the bridge duplication is essential to our future and with 10,000-plus people adding their names to the call, we look forward to having our voices heard by the government,” he said.
Dr McGirr, Ms Manning and Mr Sanbrook thanked all those who supported the petition, saying advocacy will continue for the duplication.
