Undocumented major underground utility infrastructure has delayed the replacement of a two-lane bridge in Chester Hill.

Contractors working on the million-dollar project at Hector Street, have been hampered by the discovery of a number of large obsolete concrete and steel pipes and now expect the works to be completed by the end of March.

Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Khal Asfour said these unforeseen delays have been frustrating for all involved in the project.

“With more than 12,000 vehicles using the old Hector Street bridge every day, this new infrastructure is a critical and a long overdue upgrade that will significantly reduce congestion and travel time once completed,” Mayor Asfour said.

“Unfortunately, Council’s Contractor has experienced a number significant delays on what has been a project filled with unexpected twists and turns outside our control.”

The corridor under the bridge is also the supply for utilities to Sydney’s west, including water, power and gas and the relevant utility authority has overarching control over works in the area.

The delay in construction has been caused by the following:

• When attempting to install the new bridge footings an unknown redundant steel water pipe was identified. This pipe was 1.2 metres in diameter and 10 metres long;
• Upon removal of the first steel pipe, a second partly crushed water pipe was discovered. The removal of these pipes created a large void that needed to be backfilled and compacted to provide a solid base to build the bridge on;
• The Jemena Gas’ main now requires protection to avoid any impact from the new bridge. This protection needs design and approvals in addition to the original program;
• A new Sydney Water sewer has been identified and an additional design to protect the asset is required; and
• High Voltage TransGrid Cables now require a significantly large protection structure to be constructed around them (while they are live) to ensure that the thermal properties and performance are not compromised by the new bridge.

“While I understand these delays are an inconvenience for local residents, any impact on the utility services would cause major disruption to the majority of Greater Sydney,” Mayor Asfour said.

“I can assure you, we are working tirelessly to get this project completed as soon as possible.”

With traffic congestion expected to worsen over the next week as school returns, Council is taking the following extra steps to lessen the impact of the delays:

• Council officers will be onsite to assist the contractor;
• Dedicated traffic controllers will be in the area to assist with vehicle movements;
• Council officers will door knock nearby residents and keep them informed; and
• Regular updates will be placed on cb.city/projects