Cowra Fire Brigade supports another crossing

Captain of Fire and Rescue Cowra, Steve Overman, has thrown his support behind another bridge crossing over the Lachlan River at Cowra. "Another bridge would certainly provide us with an alternate route over the river," Capt Overman said. His comments follow repeated calls from Cowra Council for a third crossing of the Lachlan River at Cowra. "Right now at peak hours it's easy for Fire and Rescue to get stuck on the bridge and there is nowhere for traffic to go, motorists can't move over to let us pass, so they have to drive off the bridge in whatever direction they are travelling, so we can go. "We have certainly had delays getting across the bridge in early morning and late afternoon traffic. And an alternate route during peak times like Bathurst races would be very welcome. "However, any new bridge would have to be designed to take the weight of our truck and ideally would have more width, guardrails and a walking path compared to the present low level bridge," he said. Capt Overman said the current low level bridge poses safety concerns with Fire and Rescue called to assist on average once a year, when vehicles have left the bridge and plunged into the river. Cowra Council has again reached out to key state officials, including the NSW Transport Minister, the Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, and local members, advocating for support in planning a crucial addition: a state-owned third bridge crossing over the Lachlan River. The urgency for this infrastructure becomes evident when considering the closure history of Cowra's second crossing, the Low-Level Bridge over the Lachlan. During 2021, the low level remained closed for a staggering 83 days, followed by a prolonged closure of 146 days in 2022 due to elevated river levels. Council's Strategic Plan and Operational Plan stress the urgent need to construct a new mid-level bridge.