Kempsey Bridge

The final stages of essential maintenance work on Kempsey Bridge are now complete, marking the end of the project.

Transport would like to thank the community and motorists for their patience while this important work was carried out.

Night work on Kempsey Bridge resumes

Asphalt resurfacing and general maintenance work on Kempsey Bridge will resume on Sunday 9 February 2025. Work will be carried out from 7pm to 5am on Sunday to Thursday nights and is expected to be complete in one month, weather permitting.

Transport for NSW thanks motorists for their patience during this time.

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The final stage of essential maintenance work on Kempsey Bridge will resume on Sunday 9 February. Transport for NSW will carry out this important work, which involves the removal of bridge joints, asphalt resurfacing and general maintenance.

Work will be carried out from 7pm to 5am on Sunday to Thursday nights and is expected to be complete in one month, weather permitting. We look forward to completing the project in March 2025.

Transport for NSW had to postpone works on Kempsey Bridge due to wet weather forecast. The upcoming work requires at least 72 hours of dry weather to allow seal to dry properly on the bridge deck. We thank you for your patience while we carry out this important work. 

We will keep the community informed when we resume work.

Transport for NSW will carry out work to remove bridge joints and general maintenance work on Kempsey Bridge.



We’ll be working from Sunday to Thursday between 7pm and 5am from Sunday 14 April for one month, weather permitting.

Find out more - April 2024 project update (PDF, 323.73 KB).

To minimise the impacts to motorists, work to install load testers on the bridge will be carried out between 7pm and 5am on Thursday 17 August 2023 and is expected to be completed in one night, weather permitting.

Single lane, alternating traffic flow arrangements and a 40km/h speed limit will be in place during this work with intermittent stoppages required. Motorists should allow for delays up to 10 minutes.  

Transport finished installing about 600 steel brackets with 3000 bolts in June. Work continuing on the bridge in the coming months includes:

• durability coating on piers
• carrying out concrete deck repairs  
• replacing all bridge joints
• resurfacing the bridge deck  
• removing scaffolding  
• removal of compound area and equipment.

View the August 2023 project notification (PDF, 375.46 KB) for more information.

Kempsey Bridge, which was built in 1959, is a steel truss bridge over Macleay River at Kempsey. The bridge is an important link between west and south-east Kempsey, and the Pacific Highway.

The bridge has been experiencing fatigue cracking and is due for a major maintenance to provide a safer and longer lasting road.

Maintenance work will include:

• steel fatigue rehabilitation to bridge girders
• waterproofing bridge deck
• placement of asphalt on the bridge deck
• application of durability coating on exposed concrete surfaces
• replacement of seven expansion joints

• September 2024 project update (PDF, 312.09 KB)
  
  Night work on Kempsey Bridge
• June 2024 project update (PDF, 469.87 KB)
  
  Kempsey Bridge maintenance work postponed to Spring 2024
• March 2024 project update (PDF, 323.73 KB)
  
  Night work and on-going maintenance work on Kempsey Bridge
• August 2023 project update (PDF, 375.46 KB)
  
  Night work and on-going maintenance work on Kempsey Bridge.
• December 2022 project update

  On-going maintenance work on Kempsey Bridge.

• May 2022 project update
  
  Major maintenance work on Kempsey Bridge.