By Callum Ludwig
McMahons Creek residents are itching to see an upgrade finally get underway on a pedestrian bridge on the shoulder of Woods Point Road.
The upgrade was announced in March 2022, five years on from when the original was demolished due to safety concerns.
Member of the Reefton McMahons Creek Action group Ian Brownlie said at this stage, the group hadn’t received any communication as to the details of the project.
“We don’t know the location of the bridge, the style of the bridge or anything as far as the design process goes. It’s been a long, dragged-out process,” he said.
“It’s encouraging to know that the funding has been made, and a terrific gesture to actually do it but there’s not been a timeframe given to us as to when it will happen. It’s been going on for five years and it is still up in the air.”
Since the original bridge’s removal, pedestrians, including schoolchildren, have had to walk along a narrow part of the 80km/h road bridge.
Mr Brownlie said pedestrians have had to walk alongside a large number of trucks on the road due to the Upper Yarra Dam upgrade and even now that is completed, he is worried about the increased tourist traffic they will see over the warmer months.
“Fortunately, Melbourne Water cleared some of the trees that were causing a blind spot on the bridge recently but it’s still a high-risk environment for people on the bridge,” he said.
“It’s not a wide road and to put a pedestrian on there on the road is particularly hazardous with caravans and tourist traffic going through the area. The edge of the bridge also isn’t frequently cleaned, so people can easily slip and fall or have to negotiate uneven surfaces.”
Eildon MP Cindy McLeish brought the issue up in Parliament on Wednesday 14 September and has been lobbying with residents for the last five years.
Ms McLeish said the Yarra Ranges Council needed the $754,000 funding.
“Without it, the bridge will not be built, and the community will continue to put their own
safety at risk by walking along the busy Woods Point Road,” she said.
“The Andrews Labor Government is dragging out this process. Rebuilding the bridge should have been treated as a matter of priority, yet has remained on the back burner.”
The State Government confirmed that funding agreements between the Department of Transport and the delivery agency, Yarra Ranges Council, have been finalised, meaning Council can commence construction whenever they are ready.
“While Ms McLeish peddles spin about this project, we have been working hard alongside the Yarra Ranges Council to deliver the funding required to build McMahons Bridge,” a Government spokesperson said.
The State Government thanked the community for their patience.
Director of Environment and Infrastructure at Yarra Ranges Council Bill Millard said Council has completed the design of the McMahons Creek Pedestrian Bridge and is currently consulting with authority stakeholders.
“Once authority approvals have been provided a contractor will be appointed,” he said.
“Works are then expected to be delivered by end of the financial year.”
