![A portion of the crumbling Stuart Town bridge to be replaced under the Fixing Country Bridges Program. Picture Supplied A portion of the crumbling Stuart Town bridge to be replaced under the Fixing Country Bridges Program. Picture Supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/168083814/31a9d264-9280-4827-a7fa-48af068f7c9e.JPG/r0_376_4032_3028_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Dubbo Regional Council has received close to $1 million from the state government to replace Stuart Town's long-serving Molong Street Bridge.
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"Ageing timber bridges like this one are just not up to the task anymore, especially during a flood so by replacing them with more modern materials we not only improve our [rural bridge] network resilience but also take the pressure off council to maintain them," Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders said.
"As we've seen with the recent flooding, a concrete structure can be the difference between reopening a road the day after it floods or closing it for a prolonged period until an impacted bridge is assessed and repaired."
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Dubbo Regional Council received more than $990,000 to replace the bridge.
More than $300 million was awarded to councils around the state to replace more than 400 timber structures across 53 council areas.
The work at Stuart Town will follow bridge upgrades around Benelong, Mumbil and Terrabella
Last July, a further $49.25 million was provided to replace 34 bridges across 21 local government areas.
![Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders at Stuart Town bridge due for rebuild with sturdier structure. Picture Supplied Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders at Stuart Town bridge due for rebuild with sturdier structure. Picture Supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/168083814/61fe4129-79d8-43d0-aff2-ecb35a9c261c.jpg/r0_0_4032_2267_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Dubbo Regional Council's director of infrastructure Luke Ryan said they welcomed the funding injection that enables them to replace one of the timber bridges around the council area that are "coming to the end of their serviceable life".
The program was helping councils upgrade their bridges and keep communities connected, Regional Transport and Roads minister Sam Farraway said.
"We are helping councils build bridges that are wider, higher and stronger and support greater load limits - greater freight volumes means better efficiency and productivity for our rural industries," Mr Farraway said.
"These bridges will play a vital role in connecting rural and regional communities to markets, jobs and essential services such as schools and hospitals."