NEWS RELEASE
26 February 2009
 
Rangoon Street bridge to open on Saturday
 
The new two-lane Rangoon Street Bridge in Khandallah is to be officially opened at 12 noon on Saturday 28 February.
 
Mayor Kerry Prendergast is scheduled to open in the bridge in the traditional manner – by cutting a ribbon – and then locals will be invited to take refreshments and help raise funds for Khandallah School and Khandallah/Broadmeadows Plunket.
 
Representatives from the school and Plunket will be charging gold-coin ‘bridge tolls’ in return for commemorative certificates, while refreshments will also be on sale.
 
The new $1.7 million reinforced-concrete and steel bridge replaces the old single-lane wooden bridge that linked Rangoon Street with Burma Road for about 100 years.
 
Not only was the bridge narrow, but crossing it on frosty winter mornings could also be hair-raising for motorists – the wooden deck often froze over, meaning vehicles often slid gracefully from one end to another.
 
The new bridge will enable heavy emergency service vehicles like fire trucks to cross the Johnsonville rail line – they were unable to cross the old bridge due to weight limits. The Burma Road-Rangoon Street intersection has also been improved to enhance road safety.
 
Most of the timber - mainly Australian hardwood – from the old bridge has been retained by the Council for future use for the likes of park benches.
 
ends
 
 

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