Tharwa Bridge gets its ornamental trusses

Its great to see that they are going back up. However, I think you’ll find that the trusses are quite functional. My understanding is that they were specifically built by the NSW RTA to allow the bridge to meet the load bearing capacity required for T44. The steal framing under the bridge is supposed to be temporary and was put up to get the bridge open quickly for light traffic and to support the bridge while the trusses were off. Check out http://www.arenco.com.au/images/projects/Tharwa-Bridge-Restoration.pdf.
Additionally, if the trusses were not functional, that would be against the conservation management plan for the bridge
http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/148509/Tharwa_Bridge_CMP_reduced.pdf

I’m sure there was more stuff on the TAMS website 12 months ago regarding the different stages of restoration, but I can’t find it now.

The old trusses are all chopped up and are being stored not far from the Namadgi Visitors centre.

Well let’s hope that once the bridge is completed that Tharwa can gain some momentum as a tourist destination. It’d be nice to see it established as an equivalent to Hall or Gold Creek rather than a ghost town.

Keijidosha said :

I really like the idea that this bridge is being restored. That being said it would be a whole lot more worthwhile if Tharwa had some attractions for Canberran’s to use as an excuse to venture over said bridge.

There used to be but the mess about with the bridge, it was closed for months the first time ensured that they did not survive.

Cuppacumbalong was a beutiful place to go for a Sunday lunch.

I too am overjoyed to see the bridge restored, we had some wedding photos taken on the bridge itself. It’s goo to see it restored to it’s former self.

What a stupid idea. Hope the residents of Tharwa are hanging there heads in shame.

Would have been better to have built a copy of the Coat Hanger, IMHO. More tourists.

definitely new – the old ones were chainsawed.

According to TAMS they are “replacement” trusses, which infers they are not the originals.

Old ones restored I believe.

Are the trusses new, or have they restored the old trusses?

I really like the idea that this bridge is being restored. That being said it would be a whole lot more worthwhile if Tharwa had some attractions for Canberran’s to use as an excuse to venture over said bridge.