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Cuttagee Bridge renewal

Cuttagee Bridge is nearing the end of its functional life and planning is underway to determine its future design and configuration.

Project Background

Cuttagee Bridge is located on the Tathra to Bermagui Road, part of Main Road 272 (MR 272) and crosses the Cuttagee Lake entrance area at the northern end of Cuttagee Beach. It is a crucial road link between Barragga and Bermagui providing access to the Sapphire Coast.

The road also provides an important sealed alternative access to the Princes Highway in this region, from Tilba (or Cobargo) in the north, to Tathra, Bega and further south to Merimbula and Pambula via Sapphire Coast Drive and Arthur Kaine Drive. It provides emergency services access to an increasing residential rural population.

MR 272 also forms an integral part of the tourist facility of this coastal shire and is marked as a Tourist Route. It provides access to the popular Mimosa Rocks National Park, including the four camp sites at Aragunnu, Picnic Beach, Middle Beach and Gillards Beach. As summer tourists swell the local population and fire risk increases during warmer months, MR 272 needs to provide resilient and reliable access to these areas.

Cuttagee Bridge was originally designed and constructed by NSW Department of Public Works in 1892, as a four-span structure.  It was one of many that used the ‘simple beam’ construction, built from native hardwoods. The bridge was extended to eight-spans in 1898 and again in 1935, to 10-spans in response to shifting sands and flood damage.

Today’s bridge is still based on the 1935 structure, a single lane, 10-span bridge, approximately 110m long, with timber running boards and cross planks. The southern six spans are of traditional timber log girder construction supported by a combination of driven timber and steel piles. The northern 4 spans are of steel girder construction supported on concrete piers with a concrete abutment.

Purpose

While the existing bridge retains the form of the original 1930s structure, only the concrete substructure elements are original. The remainder has since been replaced over time, and now all in a condition which requires further renewal. 

Cuttagee Bridge is nearing the end of its functional life and is now subject to a load limit due to its deteriorating condition. It is at risk of structural failure and likely to be subjected to more restrictive load limits unless renewal is progressed.

Bega Valley Shire Council has a duty to ensure community assets are safe and fit for purpose. This includes Cuttagee Bridge, which is part of a main road, which Bega Valley Shire Council manages on behalf of the NSW Government. Decisions about the renewal of Cuttagee Bridge will need to consider the initial capital renewal and ongoing maintenance costs and disruption of constructing with timber or concrete as a primary material.  There will need to be careful consideration and balancing of short- and long-term issues such as risk, safety, durability, economics, heritage, tourism, and the environment.

Community Engagement

The Cuttagee Bridge community advisory group was established in September 2021 through an open expression of interest. The group was comprised of eight community members and was chaired by Council’s Director of Assets and Operations. Council also provided a secretariat. They met four times between November 2021 and February 2022, with their recommendations presented to Council in a report on 16 March 2022.

Community engagement is recognised as a key element to the successful outcome of this project and will be an on-going priority throughout this project.

Bega Valley Shire Council has engaged the services of GHD, a leading engineering and consulting firm, to partner with Council in delivering the Cuttagee Bridge Renewal project. An essential component of their work will be undertaking and delivering stakeholder engagement and consultation activities. GHD will bring their expertise in community engagement and infrastructure projects to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive consultation process regarding the three design options agreed between Transport for New South Wales and Bega Valley Council.

Funding

During the 2023 NSW election, a commitment of $15M was made for the repair and restoration of Cuttagee Bridge.  In January 2024 Council formally accepted the offer by the NSW Government. The funding, administered through Transport for NSW, has allowed Bega Valley Shire Council to engage a qualified project manager to develop options for consideration by Councillors and the community.

While this offer was not based on a developed design and may not be sufficient to cover the full cost of the renewal of the bridge, it is a significant contribution and step forward.  The funding agreement allows for the provision of a detailed options assessment of three concept designs for a replacement structure.

Connection to Council's Community Strategic Plan

This project is connect to Council's Community Strategic Plan through Outcome 5: Connected Communities:

Goal 10: We have a network of good quality roads, footpaths and cycleways connecting communities throughout the Shire and beyond.

Frequently asked questions


The Cuttagee Bridge Renewal project aims to replace the deteriorating Cuttagee Bridge, which is nearing the end of its functional life and is subject to weight and speed restrictions due to its poor condition.

Cuttagee Bridge is located on the Tathra-Bermagui Road and crosses the Cuttagee Lake entrance area at the northern end of Cuttagee Beach. It is a crucial road link between Barragga and Bermagui, providing access to the Sapphire Coast. The road also provides an important sealed alternative access to the Princes Highway in this region, from Tilba (or Cobargo) in the north, to Tathra, Bega and further south to Merimbula and Pambula via Sapphire Coast Drive and Arthur Kaine Drive. It provides emergency services access to an increasing residential rural population.

The bridge is in danger of a potentially serious structural failure unless remedial action is taken. The renewal is necessary to ensure the bridge remains safe, secure, and fit for purpose for decades to come. Currently, ongoing maintenance of the existing bridge is required to ensure it remains safe for public use. This maintenance is costly for Council to undertake and can require road closures that affect the local community. This maintenance burden will only get worse in the future unless renewal is undertaken.

The existing bridge is past the end of its design life having been modified and repaired many times, and is no longer a good example of its type. It is not economically feasible to keep repairing as components progressively deteriorate. The best option is for a full asset renewal meeting modern standards with a 100 year design life.

The timber girders have been severely impacted by the harsh marine environment. Loss of section, and deterioration of wood including longitudinal cracks significantly impact the flexural capacity. The wooden supports are severely damaged, and all have undergone strengthening works. The steel girders have also been severely affected by the saline environment with severe localised corrosion. The concrete substructure also has severe defects including cracking of structure exposing reinforcement and corrosion.

Council is focussed on providing assets that are resilient to natural disasters, such as bushfires and flooding, to ensure the ongoing safety of the community and the functionality of the transport network– the existing bridge does not align with this key objective.

There are three concept design option being considered:
- A single-lane hybrid structure with decorative timber, attached shared pathway, and handrails.
- A two-lane hybrid structure with decorative timber, attached shared pathway, and handrails.
- A two-lane concrete structure with attached shared pathway and handrails.

There will be careful consideration and balancing of short- and long-term issues such as risk, safety, durability, economics, heritage, tourism, and the environment. Council is committed to ensuring the safety and functionality of this vital infrastructure and is seeking community input to help guide the decision-making process.

Bega Valley Shire Council has engaged the services of GHD, a leading engineering and consulting firm, to partner with Council in delivering the Cuttagee Bridge Renewal project.

The project is funded by a $15 million grant from the NSW Government under the Regional Roads Program administered by Transport for NSW.

Community engagement is a key element of the project. Members of the public can participate in the 'Have Your Say' survey to provide feedback on various aspects of the bridge replacement project, including design,
construction, and road closures. The initial 'Have Your Say' survey opened 18 March and closes 30 April 2025. It takes about 10 minutes to complete and covers topics such as bridge usage, road closures, community events, bridge design, and historical and aesthetic characteristics.

Once the concept design options are developed, they will be presented to the community and put on public exhibition for further consultation. This public exhibition will help Council select the preferred option to progress to the detailed design phase.

The feedback gathered from the community will help Council and the project team understand the community's needs and concerns, ensuring that the new bridge meets the needs and expectations of the residents and users. Insights from the survey will also be used to inform the construction staging methodology and how to limit disruption to the community during the construction phase.

The Cuttagee Bridge Renewal project will consider environmental factors to minimise its impact. Temporary impacts on wildlife, water quality, and vegetation may occur during construction. The project team will work to
mitigate these impacts through careful planning and adherence to environmental regulations. Additionally, the new bridge design will aim to be resilient to climate change and a changing landscape, ensuring long-term sustainability.

The project has a budget of $15 million, which was committed by the NSW Government during the 2023 election. This funding is administered through Transport for NSW. While a significant contribution and step forward, this amount may not be sufficient to cover the full cost of the renewal of the bridge. If there is a funding shortfall, Council will review its options to seek additional funding.

For more information you can contact: Cuttagee Bridge renewal project team cuttageebridge@begavalley.nsw.gov.au


Related documents

 

Who can I speak to:

Cuttagee Bridge Renewal Project Team
Email: cuttageebridge@begavalley.nsw.gov.au

 

Timeline of works


  • March 2023

    NSW Government election commitment announcement of $15M for the Cuttagee Bridge Project.

  • 31 January 2024

    Council resolved to accept offer of funding from Transport for NSW and deliver on the scope and objectives of the Agreement with amendment to only progress designs for a two-lane concrete bridge with pathway.

  • February 2024

    Council negotiated with TfNSW re-considering three concept options for the bridge replacement including single and dual lane concrete-timber hybrid options.

    Funding agreement with Transport for NSW executed.

  • March - July 2024

    Tender for Project Management and Contract Administration Services.

  • October 2024

    Engineering consultancy firm, GHD Pty Ltd, engaged to undertake project management and contract administration to deliver the project as described in the funding agreement.

  • March - April 2025

    Report to Council of preferred tenderer to deliver the three concept designs.

    Community consultation via online Have Your Say survey. This feedback will help Council and the project team understand the community's needs and concerns, ensuring that the new bridge meets the needs and expectations of the residents and users.

  • June 2025

    Community consultation and engagement on three concept design options.

  • August 2025

    Council to determine preferred concept design option based on evaluation criteria which will include safety, asset resilience, functionality, cost, maintenance and community needs and engagement.

  • June 2026

    Completion of detailed design of preferred option based on completed site investigations, planning approvals, cost estimates and technical reviews.  Invite and close tenders for construction. Council may need to seek and secure additional funding to progress construction.

  • June 2027

    Anticipated completion of construction works for the new Cuttagee Bridge.

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