Kemp Street bridge: Countdown begins as demolition date set – all you need to know

JUNEE’S Kemp Street bridge — which has linked the town since the end of World War II — will close to all traffic within days, ahead of its long-awaited demolition and full rebuild.

Inland Rail has confirmed to the Junee Bulletin that the last vehicles and pedestrians will cross the bridge on Friday evening, September 5, with the crossing to close at 6pm sharp.

The closure will mark the start of a transformative 18-month construction project to deliver a taller, safer overpass capable of supporting Inland Rail’s future freight demands.

“Immediately after the bridge closure, crews will be on site setting up traffic detours and putting additional signage in place to assist the community,” an Inland Rail spokesperson said.

“In the week following, the focus will be on site establishment and carefully removing the bridge furniture to prepare for demolition.”

Junee’s Kemp Street overbridge was officially opened on 8 March 1945 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

The 80-year-old bridge has long stood as a landmark of local life, but from Friday night, the site will become a hive of construction activity as Inland Rail crews move in to tear it down.

Traffic beneath the bridge has already ceased, with drivers passing under the structure for the final time on Saturday morning, August 30.

Edgar Street was the first road to close, with barricades erected between Hill and George Streets to allow early site establishment. This road will remain closed until the new bridge is built.

Drivers passed under the 80-year-old bridge for the last time on Saturday, August 30 | © The Junee Bulletin

DEMOLITION TIMELINE REVEALED

Inland Rail has confirmed the main demolition of the bridge will begin next Friday evening, September 12, during an extended 60-hour railway possession.

A crane pad, construction access tracks, ballast ramps and temporary fencing will be installed before bridge elements, including handrails and redundant utilities, are removed.

Demolition activities will be continuous, including night works, with the bulk of dismantling to occur on Saturday, September 13.

All major works are expected to be completed by 7am Monday, September 15.

Junee’s Kemp Street bridge will close to all traffic at 6pm on Friday, September 5, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Junee’s Kemp Street bridge will close to all traffic at 6pm on Friday, September 5, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

The demolition will involve a fleet of heavy equipment including cranes, excavators, dump trucks, graders, concrete saws and backhoes.

Water carts will also be deployed to reduce dust, and a second construction compound will be established on the corner of William and Edgar Streets.

Inland Rail has confirmed several heritage features will be preserved, including the four original lamps installed by the Railway Department in 1945.

Where possible, the lamps will be incorporated into the new bridge’s landscaping, with any unable to be reused donated to community groups.

The distinctive red bricks from the abutments will also be salvaged and repurposed in the landscaping — a tribute to the town’s history and the generations who have passed beneath the bridge.

The iconic red bricks that form the bridge’s abutments will be saved and incorporated into the new bridge’s landscaping | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

The iconic red bricks that form the bridge’s abutments will be saved and incorporated into the new bridge’s landscaping | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

SEIGNIOR STREET UPGRADE

While the construction marks significant progress, it will also create short-term disruption to traffic patterns across town — particularly around the central Olympic Highway level crossing.

Currently handling around 4,200 vehicles per day, the crossing is expected to experience a sharp surge in traffic volumes throughout the closure period, with up to 6,000 vehicles projected to use the route daily.

Council documents warn that peak periods could see 300 to 400 vehicles passing through per hour, with up to 30 vehicles rerouting or queuing during a typical four-to-five-minute boom gate closure.

To accommodate the surge, part of Seignior Street has been widened between the Broadway roundabout and Gaba Tepe Avenue to extend the right-turn lane.

Before the changes in Seignior Street | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

After the changes in Seignior Street | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

To make space for the wider road, nose-to-kerb parking on the western side of the street — between the Junee Hotel and Gaba Tepe Avenue — has been temporarily converted to parallel, removing approximately nine spaces.

Around ten angled bays remain directly in front of the hotel.

Council notes the changes are temporary and may not be required for the full duration of the project, depending on the effectiveness of alternate heavy vehicle detours being explored with Inland Rail.

Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Line-marking works began Wednesday night, September 3, and are expected to continue each night through to Friday. These works will occur during overnight periods and include temporary road closures, detours, and on-site traffic control.

Variable message signs are already in place across town, and the train driver changeover point will be shifted to help reduce boom gate closure durations, which have previously stretched beyond 20 minutes.

SHUTTLE MAPS RELEASED

To support residents during the closure — particularly those without access to private transport — Inland Rail will fund a free community shuttle service operating daily between east and west Junee.

The shuttle will use a hail-and-ride system, stopping at marked points every 30 minutes during peak times and hourly during quieter periods.

Signage will be installed around town to guide passengers, and maps have now been published online outlining the routes and stops.

Source: Inland Rail

SCHOOL BUSES

A separate student shuttle will operate during school start and finish times, complementing existing school buses which will be rerouted via the Olympic Highway.

Passes for the student service will be distributed through local schools, and students will also be able to access the public shuttle on weekends.

Maps of the routes are also now available online.

Source: Inland Rail

FLEXIBLE TAXI VOUCHERS

For eligible residents with special transport needs — including the elderly, those with mobility restrictions, or people needing to travel early in the morning or late at night — Inland Rail is also offering flexible taxi vouchers.

These can be requested via Junee Community Transport and will be prioritised for residents who are transport-dependent.

Inland Rail says the voucher program will be reviewed and adjusted as needed to ensure it continues to meet community needs throughout the closure.

For more information on the community transport options available during the bridge’s closure, including shuttle timetables, click here.

NEW BRIDGE DESIGN

Detailed designs of the new bridge, released last month, offer the clearest picture yet of the transformation ahead.

The replacement structure will rise significantly higher than the existing bridge to allow double-stacked freight trains to pass beneath safely.

Detailed design of the new Kemp Street bridge | Photo: Supplied/Inland Rail

To achieve the required height, the road approach from Kemp Street will be elevated, and the intersection connecting Railway Parade and Railway Lane will be permanently closed.

Pedestrians and cyclists will also benefit from a new dedicated path running along the northern side of the bridge, protected by anti-throw screens and separated from traffic.

Access will be provided via looping ramps at both ends — including a sweeping western ramp that curves back to meet Seignior Street at a redesigned intersection, and an eastern ramp that descends near the Junee Skate Park on Edgar Street.

A new pedestrian underpass will also be constructed to allow safe access to Railway Parade.

Pedestrian access will be provided via new sweeping ramps at either end of the bridge | Photo: Supplied/Inland Rail

The Kemp-Seignior Street intersection will be completely redesigned | Photo: Supplied/Inland Rail

The overall design features improved turning lanes and wider intersections, while landscaped embankments will frame the bridge approaches.

Junee Shire Council has worked closely with Inland Rail and Transport for NSW to ensure that heritage elements — including the preserved red brick abutments — are integrated into the final landscaping.

See a video of the full detailed design here.

BEST OUTCOME FOR JUNEE: Mayor

Junee Mayor Bob Callow welcomed the final design, saying the outcome reflected months of detailed collaboration and compromise.

“There has been a lot of work go into this project, with Junee Council seeking many adjustments to suit the Junee people — the pedestrian underpass and ramps being just a few,” Cr Callow said.

“It may not be perfect in everyone’s eyes, however, with so many stakeholders involved, I believe we have the best outcome.”

“There will be some inconvenience during construction, but I hope everyone can see the long-term benefits over the short-term disruptions.”

A close up look at the detailed design of the new Kemp Street bridge | Photo: Supplied/Inland Rail

OTHER SCHEDULED WORKS IN JUNEE, ILLABO

While focus remains on the bridge site, additional works are also scheduled across other parts of the rail corridor.

In Junee, works will occur along the Olympic Highway (Main Street) and near the underbridge during standard construction hours on Saturday, 13 September and again on Monday, 15 September.

Elsewhere in the region, Inland Rail crews will be active at Illabo on two separate dates — Monday, 8 September and Monday, 22 September — with construction taking place between 3pm and 1am on both nights.

Increased activity will also be visible around site compounds at Marrina and Illabo, and temporary speed changes will be implemented along the Olympic Highway to manage safety.

With less than 48 hours until the Kemp Street bridge closes for good, the community is being urged to finalise detour plans, arrange alternative access if needed, and prepare for a historic new chapter in Junee’s story — one that will reshape the way locals move through their town for generations to come.