Hopes high for a new bridge soon
PROPOSALS for a new Grafton bridge have come and gone for decades, but the latest push, with its extensive consultative process, appears to be gathering momentum.
Today, The Daily Examiner has culminated a snapshot of the six options that have been narrowed down by the community and the RMS.
Keeping in mind that the current bridge is 80 years old and showing it, and that population growth is predicted to rise from 18,525 in 2010 in Grafton, Junction Hill, South Grafton and Clarenza to 27,729 in 2041, the demand on a Clarence River crossing in Grafton can't be put on the backburner forever.
Traffic modelling estimates that the number of crossings in the two peak hours (7-9am and 3-5pm) will go from 27,097 in 2011 to 48,624 in 2049.
The documentation for the process is growing exponentially, with the latest Route Options Development Report running at about 1400 pages. Opinion pieces from key stakeholder groups will be run in Tuesday's edition and later in the week we will talk to representatives from Grafton transport industry.
