Bridge girder lifts to resume as Junee rail shutdown begins

THE 700-tonne crane used in last month’s aborted Kemp Street bridge operation has returned to Junee, setting the stage for a massive weekend of construction across three major sites in the heart of town.

The huge Borger crane has been assembled on the western side of the rail corridor, where it is expected to resume lifting concrete girders into place during Inland Rail’s latest 96-hour track possession.

Its return comes three weeks after the original installation ground to a halt following the first of 16 planned lifts.

Major work is now expected to unfold simultaneously at the Kemp Street bridge, the Olympic Highway underpass and Junee Railway Station, where the town’s long-decommissioned pedestrian footbridge is slated for removal.

The possession began at 6pm Friday, with crews set to work continuously throughout the weekend and into next week.

Residents should expect night shifts, construction lighting, heavy machinery, increased truck movements and noise across several areas of town.

Road and rail travellers will also be affected, with the Olympic Highway underpass closed for 60 hours, coaches replacing Sydney-to-Melbourne XPT services and further closures in Illabo and Bethungra.

CRANE RETURNS

The 700-tonne crane has been assembled on the western side of the rail corridor, where it will be positioned to lift spans between the western abutment and central supports.

The eastern side was originally expected to be completed first but appears to remain on hold, with only one of its girders installed before the operation was suspended on August 21 for a safety reassessment.

The crane was dismantled and removed from Junee on September 2 after sitting unused for 12 days.

Its return comes after Junee Bulletin received a photograph on Friday afternoon showing a concrete girder loaded onto a jinker trailer in Wagga, bound for Junee.

Image: Supplied

Inland Rail’s latest works notification lists girder installation among the activities planned at Kemp Street, although it is unclear how many spans will be lifted or when work will return to the eastern side.

Concrete pours, formwork, steel reinforcement and further deliveries are also scheduled before works conclude at 7am Wednesday.

UNDERPASS CLOSED FOR 60 HOURS

At the northern end of town, the Olympic Highway underpass closed to all road traffic and pedestrians shortly after 6pm Friday and will remain shut until 6am Monday.

Scaffolding will be erected beneath the Olympic Highway rail bridge to allow crews to remove and replace the ageing timber transoms supporting its open railway deck.

The track will also be readjusted, tamped and destressed, while geotechnical investigations and construction compound movements are carried out.

With the Kemp Street bridge demolished, the shutdown leaves the central level crossing as the only road link between the eastern and western sides of Junee throughout the weekend.

All traffic crossing the rail corridor will be funnelled through the town centre, with motorists warned to expect increased congestion and delays.

Image: Inland Rail

The underpass has carried increased traffic since the Kemp Street bridge was closed and demolished in September 2025.

Before that closure, Junee had three principal east-west road links across the railway corridor: the Kemp Street bridge, the central level crossing and the Olympic Highway underpass.

For the next 60 hours, just one will remain open.

Although the road beneath the bridge is expected to reopen at 6am Monday, rail works at the site will continue until 7am Thursday.

Temporary changes have also been made to Inland Rail’s free community shuttle to help pedestrians travel between both sides of the tracks.

Two additional stops will operate throughout the closure, with stop five on Illabo Road and stop six on Cedric Street.

OLD FOOTBRIDGE COULD DISAPPEAR

Another prominent piece of Junee’s railway history could also disappear before trains begin running again.

The long-decommissioned pedestrian footbridge at Junee Railway Station is again scheduled for removal after sitting unused in the yard for decades.

Its demolition had been planned during an earlier possession but did not proceed.

Junee station footbridge | Photo: Inland Rail

Crews will also replace a track crossover within Junee Yard and undertake tamping, destressing and geotechnical investigations.

Work in the yard will continue around the clock until 7am Thursday.

WORKS EXTEND TO ILLABO

Out-of-hours work is also underway along the rail corridor between Junee and Illabo and will continue until 7am Wednesday.

Crews will carry out track work, including tamping and ballasting, along with construction activities at the Brabins Road level crossing in Illabo.

The crossing closed to traffic at 6pm Friday and will remain shut for 60 consecutive hours until 6am Monday.

It will close again from 6pm Monday until 6am Tuesday, followed by a final overnight closure from 6pm Tuesday until 6am Wednesday.

Motorists should allow additional travel time and follow all signposted detours.

Scheduled activities may be cancelled at short notice because of weather or other factors.

Inland Rail says postponed work will be rescheduled and affected neighbours notified.

SEPARATE BETHUNGRA CLOSURE

In a separate project, the Olympic Highway will close in both directions between Illabo and Bethungra from midnight Friday until 7am Monday.

The closure will allow the Australian Rail Track Corporation to complete safety upgrades at the Bethungra level crossing and is not part of Inland Rail’s work between Junee and Illabo.

Motorists travelling between Junee and Cootamundra will be diverted via Dirnaseer Road, Ironbong Road, Junee Reefs Road and Retreat Road.

Drivers should follow all traffic controls and allow additional time for their journeys.

XPT SERVICES REPLACED

Rail passengers are also being affected, with coaches replacing XPT services between Sydney and Melbourne throughout the track possession.

Replacement coaches will remain in operation until Tuesday morning, when passenger train services are expected to resume.

The September shutdown will be followed by a further 36-hour possession on November 7 and 8, before another 96-hour shutdown in March 2027.