From Bermagui Community Forum

Hi again,

This is the Bermagui Community Forum's take on the Bega Valley Shire Council's survey.  Please encourage as many people as you can to take the survey. The new Wallaga Lake bridge shows that a single lane timber bridge can be built to satisfy safety requirements as well as fulfill heritage and aesthetic considerations:-

Following calls from the community for a proper community consultation process on the three design options for replacement of Cuttagee Bridge, Council is now proposing a three stage community consultation process with bridge construction not proposed to commence until September 2026.

Consultation Process
The three stage consultation process includes:
Plan: involving a short survey, as attached (insert link), to be completed by 30 April.
Engage: using the community feedback in the development of 3 design options.
Refine: Three design options placed on public exhibition to allow further community feedback before Council makes decision on their preferred option.
Design Options
The three design options are: 
Single lane hybrid structure with decorative timber, attached shared pathway and handrails.
Two lane hybrid structure with decorative timber, attached shared pathway and handrails.
Two lane concrete structure with attached shared pathway and handrails.
Short Survey
The survey seeks your opinion on:
What is most important to you: aesthetics, cost, functionality etc
Preference for single lane or two lanes
How important aesthetics of bridge design are to you
From what viewpoint do you look at the bridge: beach, sand embankment, road etc
Features of the bridge that are important to you
Provide comment on additional features or considerations in replacement bridge design.
Although there is some push by Council to suggest the Tathra-Bermagui road should be considered an alternative road to the Princes Highway, we should not lose sight of the tourist potential of this as a heritage coastal road traversing a series of single lane bridges.

Community Forum Recommendations
We encourage you to consider the following when responding to the survey:
The purpose of the $15M grant from Transport NSW is for restoration of Cuttagee Bridge with heritage principles - just like they have done for Wallaga Bridge. One lane and restored. Bridge experts advise that timber is safe, affordable, beautiful - and supports heritage values. Timber bridges enhance tourism and support community needs.
Safety is inherent in a restored heritage bridge and Council have to meet certain standards. A heritage based bridge will be a safe bridge.  
The survey asks you about making the Cuttagee bridge and road an alternative to the Highway. That means B Double trucks could roar down that road!
Survey Deadline 30 April
The final outcome of the Council decision on their preferred bridge design may in the end be decided by the weight of community support for a single lane or two lane bridge. We therefore strongly encourage you to complete this survey by 30 April.

Complete the Survey at the Council Website