Work on the new $342 million Nowra bridge project is powering ahead, with piling from barges now starting in the Shoalhaven River.
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Transport for NSW has installed 19 casings for the piles for the permanent bridge structure and is currently installing the first marine piles on the project.
These are up to 60 metres long and each pile requires around 45 cubic metres of concrete, equivalent to eight concrete trucks.
Three of nine pile caps for the bridge piers have also been installed.
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These pile cap tubs are built on site and lifted into position by a crane.
"Once these tubs are in place, they are filled with around 65 cubic metres of reinforced concrete to create a solid block," a spokesperson for Transport for NSW said.
The first of nine concrete bridge piers were poured last week on the temporary rock platform, or as some locals call it "Fulton Hogan Island".
The formwork for this pier will be removed once the concrete has set.
The site did suffer some inundation in the recent flooding of the Shoalhaven River.
However, it is the fourth time since work has started the area has experienced flooding.
Machinery on the rock platform in the river that could be moved prior to the flooding was removed, while machinery that could not be removed was able to withstand the surging floodwaters.
And apart from some debris, and in particular a lot of driftwood, the site escaped relatively unscathed.
Transport for NSW has started building a temporary rock platform in Bomaderry Creek to allow for piling works to begin in the coming months.
Transport for NSW has inducted around 1500 people on the project and worked around 483,500 hours, with an average of about 200 workers on site each day.
"This work is required to widen Bomaderry Creek Bridge and allow for additional lanes," the spokesperson said.
Excavation on the northern corner of Bolong Road and the Princes Highway is continuing with a retaining wall to be built from June, weather permitting.
Earthworks for the new local road connecting the Princes Highway with Lyrebird Drive is also continuing and has started placing pavement layers and kerb.
So far Transport for NSW has inducted around 1500 people on the project and worked around 483,500 hours, with an average of about 200 workers on site each day.
About 385 pieces of mobile plant and machinery have been on site and about 55 are currently active on site.
The work is certainly attracting the interest of a number of locals, who either have a look while they are crossing the bridge, while others make specific trips standing in the middle of the pedestrian footpath on the northbound bridge taking in the work.
One such resident is well-known local Tim Gersbach.
The long-time Nowra resident said the work is "certainly impressive".
"I don't come down every day, probably every couple of weeks and they are certainly making great steps," he said.
"The construction is very impressive - it seems each time I come down there are big changes
"It's part of history. In 10 years time when it's all well and truly up and running we'll be able to look back and remember what it was like when it wasn't there."
He said it's impressive to see the amount of construction on the site in a relatively short period of time.
"It's pretty impressive what they've achieved so far when you consider they've also had issues with floods and a huge amount of driftwood," he said.
"They just seem to get on with it.
"Seeing the barge come up the Shoalhaven River with the 60 metre pipes on it was certainly impressive."
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