Wellington Council's $2 million gamble to shut down of one its badly decaying old bridges has paid off.
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The state government has handed over the money to give long-suffering residents, motorists, tourists and freight operators a brand spanking new bridge at Dripstone.
Deputy premier Troy Grant has announced $1.9 million worth of funding under the $42.85 million Fixing Country Roads funding initiative developed by the state government to help councils upgrade their old roads and bridges.
Mr Grant said this would mean big things for the area in terms of road freight, tourism and improved traffic safety once the road was realigned.
State Member for Orange Andrew Gee said the 10-tonne road limit could be removed making it more efficient for livestock traffic using Burrendong Way.
"With funding now available from the NSW government, work on this vital local infrastructure project can now start this year," Mr Gee added.
Wellington mayor Rod Buhr said he was ecstatic with the news but that council would continue to lobby for the funding of similar bridges in the area including the Gundy Creek Bridge.
"I was pleased that the state government decided to fully-fund the bridge, it is a big bonus for our council and we had previously been looking at borrowing money to replace it," he said.
Mr Grant said Wellington might also benefit in the next round of funding.
"This is the wonderful legacy of Duncan Gay [Minister for Roads and Freight]," he said.
"It takes the pressure off council and this is what Duncan Gay intended."
The bridge will soon be replaced and nearby curves widened and realigned. Council is also looking into land acquisition so that the bridge itself can be moved.
The bridge will cost $800,000 to build and the approaching roads will cost $1 million. Council will contribute $75,000 (in addition to the cost of the previous side track).
Council had paid $500,000 for sidetracks to both the Gundy Creek Bridge and the Dripstone Bridge, but as the cost only came to $250,000 they saved money that can go towards their contribution.
In full election mode, Mr Grant said that since 2011 the NSW Liberals and Nationals government had delivered an historic amount of funding to help regional growers, producers and businesses take the most direct and cost-effective route to transport goods from paddock to port.
