![The temporary Bailey bridge over the Rising Sun Creek on Beechworth-Wodonga Road has irked motorists for nearly a year. Picture by Mark Jesser The temporary Bailey bridge over the Rising Sun Creek on Beechworth-Wodonga Road has irked motorists for nearly a year. Picture by Mark Jesser](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/170490233/b6e55227-45ae-45a7-b32f-d60b73360785.jpg/r0_0_5568_3712_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
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But, while Beechworth residents fume over the long delay to fix the arched stone bridge - it was closed a day before last year's Easter weekend - the department would not give an estimated completion date.
Motorists have been forced to stop at a red light while traffic crawls over the one-lane temporary Bailey bridge at 20kmh.
Transport and Planning Department executive director for Hume, Anthony Judd, said crews were ready to start work.
"Works to repair the damaged culvert on Beechworth-Wodonga Road at Rising Sun Creek will commence in February," Mr Judd said. "Until these works are complete, the Bailey bridge will remain in place allowing vehicles to continue using the road."
Referring to another red-light, one-lane delay at the nearby stretch of Beechworth-Wodonga Road at Star Lane, Wooragee, Mr Judd said: "We are continuing to work through designs with heritage advisers for the culvert at Star Lane."
![Work on a damaged culvert under Beechworth-Wodonga Road, near Star Lane, has reduced the stretch of road to one lane. Picture by Mark Jesser Work on a damaged culvert under Beechworth-Wodonga Road, near Star Lane, has reduced the stretch of road to one lane. Picture by Mark Jesser](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/170490233/0ec277fa-750d-4edc-b2b1-6468522bf782.jpg/r0_0_3610_2407_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The department said oversize, overmass vehicles were not permitted to use the Bailey bridge over Rising Sun Creek and would need to keep diverting via Chiltern using the Beechworth-Chiltern Road and the Hume Freeway.
It says a 20-tonne load limit still applies to the section of Beechworth-Wodonga Road east of Wooragee where the damage to the second culvert is located, and this load limit will remain in place.
"Planning for the repair of these two damaged culverts is complex due to the age of the structures, and their historical significance within Indigo Shire," the department said in a statement.
![Work on the the arched stone bridge over Rising Sun Creek on Beechworth-Wodonga Road is being done in consultation with Heritage Victoria. Picture by Mark Jesser Work on the the arched stone bridge over Rising Sun Creek on Beechworth-Wodonga Road is being done in consultation with Heritage Victoria. Picture by Mark Jesser](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/170490233/897119cc-139d-41ba-931e-4f2e334c924c.jpg/r0_0_5517_3678_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"We are working alongside Heritage Victoria to finalise the repair works on these culverts."
Work on the bridge at Rising Sun Creek is managed by DM Roads, a national road maintenance provider which has been contracted by the department. The Border Mail has contacted DM Roads.