About the Project
Muscle Creek Bridge is part of the Olympic Park Masterplan for the Olympic Park Precinct. The bridge will be used as a one-way bridge during major events and provide an additional means of egress for motor vehicles leaving Olympic Park Precinct when it is assessed that not all traffic may safely exit the site by means of Wilkinson Avenue. When the bridge is not required for a major event, it will be closed to motor vehicles but will remain open for pedestrian traffic to cross Muscle Creek.
Olympic Park Development - Review of Environmental Factors
Project Update 29/10/2021
Muswellbrook Shire Council, through their appointed contractor Saunders Civil Build, will be establishing on-site for the Muscle Creek Bridge Construction Project on Monday 1 November 2021. These works will continue for approximately 5 months.
During the construction phase of the project, general enquiries and correspondence should be directed to Muswellbrook Shire Council – council@muswellbrook.nsw.gov.au
For urgent site matters only Luke Lawler – Saunders Civil Build Project Manager can be contacted on 0412 273 743.
Project Update 18/11/2021
Next week’s programmed work includes:
- Vegetation clearing and tree removal
- Sediment control and fish passage as per fisheries permit
- Preparation of piling pad to accommodate piling rig
- Commencement of bored pile construction (weather permitting)
Project Update 23/11/2021
Next week’s programmed work includes placing of more rock to create the pad to accommodate the piling rig. This work was delayed this week due to the weather. Weather permitting, piling works will begin.
Project Update 21/12/2021
Construction is continuing on the bridge piles with four out of eight bored piles having been completed. Concreting of these piles is expected to be undertaken on Tuesday 21 December. The work at the site will close on Thursday 23 December for Christmas break and will resume Monday 10 January.
Project Update 25/02/2022
All 8 pier bored piles and 8 abutment driven piles have been completed.
Workers are now preparing formwork and will start fixing steel for the pier blade walls, and the Olympic Park gates and sandstone pillars have been removed to accommodate road works.
Project Update 25/07/2022
Work on the Muscle Creek Bridge Project over the previous few months has predominately involved the construction of the bridge, and construction is almost complete.
Work at the site has now moved onto the construction of the road approaches. Whilst undertaking earthworks on the northern side, a section of contaminated land has been uncovered. Whilst the contamination is being removed, works at the site have been shifted to the southern side bridge approach.
Works commencing on 25 July 2022 will involve preparation to commence road works in Wilder Street, such as demolition of kerb and gutter, removal of existing pavement and earthworks for the section of road directly adjoining the new bridge.
Project Update 12/09/2022
The construction of the bridge is now complete! The new water main has been installed across the bridge, the scaffolding and construction platforms have been removed, and work to adjust the sewer manhole and connect the new water main has been undertaken.
Works at the site have been limited due to the saturated soils recently, but construction of the road approaches will continue as weather permits.
Project Update 18/10/2022
The construction of the bridge over Muscle Creek was completed in September and since this time project activities have focused on the construction of the road approaches. Unfortunately, during this period the project has experienced significant inclement weather-related delays that have had direct impact on the progress of the roadworks portion of the project. Since commencing the roadworks in July, the project has received fifty two (52) days of weather-related delays where the state of the site was too saturated to proceed with works to construct the road, including works on the road, required rework due to wet weather damage, stabilisation of the area over the contamination, and time to dry out. There have been 22 working days in a month where work activities have been prevented due to wet site conditions, and this has resulted in a direct impact to the progress of the project by over two months.
Aside from the inclement weather delays, the project has also experienced 4 weeks of delays associated with the findings of contamination within the new road that required works to be undertaken by licensed contractors, liaison with SafeworkNSW and statutory approvals before the contamination could be managed. Although contamination is not uncommon in the construction of new roads, especially in areas that have been previously undeveloped and could have been subject to land filling and/or accumulated waste in the past, this matter has impacted the overall delivery schedule for the project. The accumulation of the above delays has resulted in a significant impact to the completion date of the project; however, Council’s contractor’s priority still remains to focus on completing the required works as promptly and safely as possible, and completion is currently scheduled for December, weather permitting.
Project Update 9/11/2022
The current works at the site involve placement and construction of the base course as part of the final road construction works. The remaining works at the site will be sealing of the road pavement, construction of the impacted driveways, installation of sandstone pillars at the bridge, repair to drainage outlet and bank stabilisation works on Muscle Creek.
The contractor advises that, weather permitting, the construction works on the project will be completed by the end of November where after this time they will demobilise and tidy up the site.
Project Update 4/01/2023
The contractor has finalised construction works and demobilised from the site just prior to the Christmas break.
The final asphalting, installation of bollards, sandstone placement and line marking will be undertaken in January 2023.
