Kleinfelder prepared a historical assessment for the Kline Street Bridge replacement as part of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The bridge is to be demolished and replaced with a new dual lane concrete bridge, set to provide additional resilience to flooding across Swamp Creek at Weston.

Existing Structure

The existing timber bridge is over 100 years old and has been subject to flood damage, erosion, and structural alteration over the years. The client’s own records document that the bridge was also inundated by floods in 2007 and 2015.

Review Findings

Kleinfelder prepared the heritage and archaeological assessments utilising a number of online and local sources to consider the heritage and archaeological significance of the bridge and its immediate area.

The current bridge structure is fairly consistent with the structure documented following the 1926 flood; however, an additional metal guard rail and a pedestrian side bridge represent modern upgrades.

Of more significance is the presence of 10m of fine grain sandstone kerbing along the western side of Kline Street. This is considered an anomoly in the area, but is not listed as a local heritage item.

Project Results

Kleinfelder’s heritage assessment team assisted the client’s future design for the bridge by recommending that the existing bridge structure be replaced, due to previous modifications and severe deterioration rendering it not applicable under the historic assessment criterion.

Additional recommendations for future design consideration were given to the possibility of retaining the stone kerb on Kline Street and on handling of unexpected archaeological finds during the project

Project Details

Location:
Weston, NSW

Owner:
Cessnock City Council