VICROADS has once again defended its decision not to impose load limits on the historic Yackandandah stone bridge.
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A contractor doing maintenance work on the bridge warned the bridge, built in 1857, would continue to deteriorate if heavy trucks weren’t banned.
Daryl Clyne, from Geelong firm DC Projects, said the damage from B-doubles crossing it would compromise the bridge within 10 to 15 years.
But VicRoads regional director Bryan Sherritt said that was unlikely.
“Commissioners Creek Stone Arch Bridge is an important asset along the road linking the Ovens and Kiewa valleys,” he said.
“VicRoads appreciates the concerns of the community and Indigo Shire Council about the condition of the bridge and its historical significance.
“At this time, there is no load limit on the bridge as it is not warranted.”
That repeats a line from VicRoads last August, when former mayor Ali Pockley said Yackandandah residents were being “fobbed off” by VicRoads.
She said there had been a “huge amount” of wear and tear on the bridge, making many locals deeply concerned about its long-term viability.
But Mr Sherritt said there was no load limit on the bridge because it simply was not warranted.
“Load limits are usually only placed on roads or bridges that have structural issues, which mean they cannot carry heavier loads,” he said.
Mr Sherritt said all major structures, including the bridge at Yackandandah, were subject to thorough inspections on a regular basis.
“Detailed inspections of this bridge by expert maintenance inspectors are carried out every three months,” he said.
VicRoads did such an inspection last Wednesday.
Mr Sherrit said this did not find any structural changes, something that confirmed the results of inspections in June, September and December of last year.
“The bridge will again be inspected following the completion of the current works,” he said.
DC Projects is expected to take about two more weeks to complete the job, which has involved moving and replacing the cracked or missing grout between stones.
Mr Clyne’s team has found “quite a few” granite stones split in half.
A 40km/h speed limit has been put in place to slow traffic across the bridge while works are in progress during the day.
