Paytens Bridge replacement

Tree removal work will be carried out at Paytens Bridge on Paytens Bridge Road from Monday 28 August for up to five days, weather permitting. 

The work will include tree trimming and removal of three trees near the bridge to provide access to the Lachlan River for geotechnical investigations.

For more information, please view the August 2023 notification letter. (PDF, 330.52 KB)

From Monday 20 June to Sunday 26 June, weather permitting, Transport for NSW will be conducting geotechnical investigations at Paytens Bridge.

There will be changed traffic conditions on the bridge deck and on Paytens Bridge Road from the intersection with the Lachlan Valley way for seven days while investigations are carried out. For more information please view the June 2022 notification letter. (PDF, 304.3 KB)

Paytens Bridge was built in 1926 and has 10 spans, consisting of eight timber girder approach spans and two timber Allan truss spans.

The bridge doesn’t meet modern design standards and is not suitable for use by modern day heavy vehicles with heavy Higher Mass Limit (HML) loads.

Paytens Bridge is the only bridge crossing of the Lachlan River between Forbes and Gooloogong. If the bridge needs to be closed for maintenance, customers are faced with a 48 kilometre detour to travel from one side of the bridge to the other.

To address the deficiencies of the existing timber bridge and improve freight access, Paytens Bridge has been identified for replacement with a new bridge.

The bridge was on the list of NSW timber truss bridges to be preserved but after a review of the conservation list of bridges in 2019, the bridge will be removed and replaced with a new concrete bridge which will increase load capacity, improve wide vehicle access, improve safety and reduce ongoing maintenance costs.

• Longer lasting, stronger bridge with a smoother ride.
• Improving road user safety through wider travel lanes and improved road approaches.
• Reduced ongoing maintenance costs.

• August 2023 notification letter  (PDF, 330.52 KB)
  Tree removal work at Paytens Bridge on Paytens Bridge Road from Monday 28 August 2023.
• June 2022 notification letter (PDF, 304.3 KB)
  Geotechnical investigation at Paytens Bridge and Paytens Bridge Road from Monday 20 June 2022.

• Plans for new Lachlan River bridge to boost freight