Point Hut closed - Tharwa F**ked

“My suggestion, demolish the existing wooden bridge. Build a steel and concrete replacement that looks as close as possible to the existing one.”

Sounds like a great idea, but the heritage nazis have already started the battle to save and restore the 1895 constructed bridge (apparently the oldest bridge in the ACT). So in addition to constructing a new bridge the road will have to be realigned – adding to the time required to reopen the road.

Pandy – if you are correct in assuming the Govt is broke, then spending $11 Mill on a glassworks (for example) would be negligent.
I’d like to know how many “studies” the govt has commissioned in the last 5 years. Every time Katy Gallagher is interviewed she talks about developing a “plan”.
It’s the same with the water crisis – we currently have the water2water proposal, 2 years ago we had a future options study – nothing concrete happens at the end of these studies.

It’s time to stop planning and start doing.

Yes, bridges are meant to creak and move to a certain extent. Just stand on the covered walkway from the Neptune St carpark into David Jones in Woden and you can feel it move and hear it creak a bit.

However, that is a steel, post stressed-pre tensioned bridge that has only two anchor points, one at each end. The Thawra Bridge on the otherhand has multiple supports underneath, that go into the river bed. Aside from the movements and sounds being far more significant than the smaller bridge in Woden, a plank of wood fell into the river when the rider went over the bridge.

I would also add that the previous time they closed it, they allowed pedestrian and cycle access. Now there is no way to cycle across or even to walk easily. If they don’t want even bikes and walkers going over it, what hope is there for vehicle trafic.

My suggestion, demolish the existing wooden bridge. Build a steel and concrete replacement that looks as close as possible to the existing one.

I agree that the Tharwa residents had it tough while Point Hut Crossing (PHC) was closed last week.

However, lets get something cleared up. The diversion via PHC is not quite what is claimed.

A trip from Tharwa to Conder shops, the location of the nearest Woolworths, via the Tharwa Bridge is 7.2 km (map).

The same trip via PHC is 13.4 km (map).

While it suits the Tharwa residents arguments to round the 7.2 down to 5, and the 13.4 up to 15, it is not a true reflection of the issue.

The idea is for bridges to creak and move.

If they were rigid they would fail straigth away.

In saying so – keep the bridge for historical reasons – and build low level bridge – lower than present – highter than point hut….

Under no circumstance should the existing Tharwa Bridge be reopenned. While I appreciate its historic value, I feel that in terms of public safety… its time has come.

I was on the bridge just after they finished fixing it last time. They said it was now structurally sound. Standing on the bridge, I didn’t get the impressions of stregnth. Certainly no more stregnth than wafer! The wood looked appauling, and when a bike rider came over the bridge, the whole freaking thing creaked and shook. I wouldn’t let my dog run over it.

Get a move on Stanhope, give Thawra new bridge. Surely he who signs blank cheques for jails can fork over a few mil for a bridge!!!

Err, Tharwa residents wanted their old brifge back. Goverment commission s a study. study finds it is rotton to the core. requires heavy timbers no longer in stock. Timbers have to be cut-down and seasoned for 12 months or more. will take a couple of years to fix. Govermnet decides better to build a new bridge. Government is broke. Goes thru the budget cycle to appropriate funds. Gets funds. Has to commisssion a study on the bridge design. Say it will be built by late 2008. Tharwa residents still want their old bridge back.

the GDE was delayed by protesters and by the Fed Govt.

There is no excuse for the Tharwa delay.

So again the majority of ACT taxpayers are being asked to support the lifestyle of of a minority.

The ACT budget has $9.5 million allocated to rebuild the Tharwa bridge, I reckon that’s pretty good compared to how long it took to get the GDE underway – especially when you consider the $$$ per capita (Gungahlin Vs Tharwa).

Cool, my burnouts as done on the Point Hut Crossing concrete are now on Youtube!!!!

Worst. Drought. Ever.

The sooner we get rid of Stanhope and his crew of yes-people, the more liveable Canberra will become.

Just as long as we don’t replace the current lot of incompetents with the farce that is the ACT Liberals.

I suspect the progress on (re)building the Tharwa bridge is firmly at the feet of the Arogant Inebriate. He obviously has a problem with the very existence of Tharwa.

Contrast the tortise like speed resolving this problem with the alacrity shown in stopping the Tharwa residents (re)opening the local school, and locking up the Revolve site in the middle of the night.

We are ill served by this pack of idealogically driven turds!

Money for a new Tharwa Bridge was appropriated in the last budget. I guess decent bridges don’t appear overnight.

That’s ALOT of water!

I really feel for the people of Tharwa – I live on the other side of the Cotter and occasionally do the run to Tharwa as a slow relaxing drive. But never would I want to have to use that road as a huge part of my daily commute.

C’mon Stanhope – do your bl@@dy job and fix the Tharwa Bridge once and for all.