The bridge over the river and floodplain will be 3.2km long, making it the longest bridge in Australia. It is being built in New South Wales as part of the US$663 million Kempsey Bypass project, which in turn is part of the Pacific Highway upgrade.
The Roads & Traffic Authority of New South Wales has formed an alliance with Leighton Contractors, Aecom and Coffey Geotechnics to build the Kempsey bypass. The bridge over the Macleay River is being built by Abigroup Contractors under a separate design and construct contract.
Temporary platforms will be built out from each river bank to the middle of the river. The first platform will extend from the northern river bank and will be removed before the second platform is built from the other bank. This method has been chosen as being the safest and most efficient for the project.
Other bridge work planned for this month includes starting building a slab to support the crane that will lift the bridge’s beams into place and continuing soil and ground tests across the floodplain and on the river bed.
