Narracan bridge closed

A Narracan bridge has been temporarily closed because of public safety concerns.
The Falls Rd bridge was closed by Baw Baw Shire last Wednesday.
Council officers had been closely monitoring the bridge. Following a recent site inspection, significant safety concerns with the structural condition of the bridge were identified.
In the interest of public safety, council decided to temporarily close the bridge to all vehicle traffic.
The bridge is being treated as a high priority with a structural engineer engaged to assess the bridge condition and provide recommendations.
Traffic will be detoured via Narracan Connection Rd and McDonalds Track. Temporary signage will be in place to direct road users.
The Narracan Falls carpark can be accessed from the south.
Plans were already in place to renew the bridge and address ongoing maintenance requests relating to the bridge deck.
Eighteen residents are impacted by the bridge closure and have been contacted by council staff.
Local residents have been advised that options may include:
Reducing the load limit on the bridge;
Completing some temporary repairs; or
Keeping the closure in place until full renewal works can be completed.
Once the engineering structural assessment is complete council will communicate the next steps to residents and wider community.
Council said it understood the inconvenience caused by the bridge closure and appreciated the patience and understanding of community members.